More Than A Girl (MTWYMT PART III)
by Writing Desk's Raven
Summary: More Than What You May Think Series, Part III: Whit is quite a powerful young adult. But what's a girl to do when she's thrown into an entirely new life by a coincidence and a prophecy? What's a girl to do when she's thrown into an arranged marriage with someone who reminds her so much of the guy she's always secretly loved? What's a girl to do when...(Full Summ. Inside) [COMPLETE]
1. Summary

**Part III: More Than A Girl**

Whit is quite a powerful young adult. But what's a girl to do when she's thrown into an entirely new life by a coincidence and a prophecy? What's a girl to do when she's thrown into an arranged marriage with someone who reminds her so much of the guy she's always secretly loved? What's a girl to do when she's not even just a girl?

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 _Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, nor am I that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

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 ****Updating Schedule****

 **I'll be doing my best to post updates weekly on Tuesdays!**


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

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I stumbled and almost fell down. Jay laughed from behind me, and pulled me back to a standing position. What did he expect? I was wearing a blindfold and so could not very well watch for things on the ground. "Okay, you can take it off now." Jay told me. I untied the bandana and let it fall to the ground. We were on the porch of the farmhouse.

"Why are we on the porch?" I asked.

"Look by the willow." Jay told me. I looked over to the large weeping willow, the one that sheltered my parents' graves. Nearby it was a black motorcycle. The license plate read 'LEE08'.

"I really get Mom's motorcycle?" I asked in wonder.

"Yeah. You're sixteen, now. You got your license earlier today." Jay said.

"Thank you!" I exclaimed, hugging him tight. He laughed and hugged me back.

"You're welcome. Now, let's go inside and see the rest of the family." Jay said. I stepped up to the door and opened it. We went into the living room, where our big family was all assembled.

My great uncle and great aunt, Liam and Mika, were at the dining table with my cousins Orianne and Sage. Orianne and Sage were actually my mom and Jay's cousins, but I'd always known them much better, and had grown up knowing them. Orianne was seven years older than me, and about ten years younger than my mom when she died. Sage was about six months younger than me.

My grandma, the one I'd been named after, was sitting on one of a couple folding chairs that had been brought into the living room. My grandpa, I faintly remembered his and her wedding, my aunt-slash-godmother Chelsey's father, was beside her on another chair.

Chelsey and her husband Aaron were also on folding chairs. Their son Hayden was sitting on the floor, leaning on his father's legs. Hayden was about two and a half years younger than me.

On the reclining chair was my aunt Maddie. Jay went over to her and stood by her, and their son, Bailey, was sitting, leaning his back on the chair. Bailey was about two years younger than me.

Leaning on the wall over by the door to the hall were two of my godparents, Cypress and Nikita. I had been their flower girl when I was ten. I liked having such a big role, but I was about as antsy as the rest of my cousins at the time. The moment the wedding was over, we had all kicked off our shoes and chased each other around in the grass.

Standing beside the couch was my uncle Mason. Sitting on the couch was my aunt Lydia, and her husband Cole with their son Dakota, who was eight and a half years younger than me, in his lap. Lydia's adopted child, Brady, from her previous marriage, was beside her on the couch. He was about a month younger than me, and he'd been adopted around the time we both were around four or five or so. I'd basically grown up with him, what with him living next door until I was fourteen, there with his Momma every other week.

The decision to move to camp at fourteen had been a hard one, especially when it meant leaving all of my cousins behind in Ohio and not seeing them everyday, or every weekend, in the case of Sage and Orianne. But I had ultimately made the decision, knowing I could be here within a moment anytime I wanted. The jewelry my mom had left me really came in handy.

The moment I stepped into the room, all of my cousins had me in a big bear hug which knocked me over, and we all sat up, laughing. Even little Dakota had joined in. I really loved my cousins. Sometimes, we were all even closer than siblings.

"Happy sweet sixteen!" Orianne told me as I sat up. My cousins all arranged themselves in a circle with me. None of us got up, opting to make these our new seats.

"Thanks, Ore." I said, hugging her. "Happy random day of being twenty three." She laughed.

"So, ready for your presents, Whit?" Maddie asked.

"Sure." I said. Lydia leaned over and handed something to Dakota, who held it out to me. It was a little crown, made of bright green paper with little plastic jewels of all colors pasted on. There was a sloppily drawn heart in the center. It was stapled in the back, so as to stay on. "Did you make this for me, Dakota?" I asked the little boy.

"I did! All by myself! Except Momma stapled it." He said.

"Why, thank you. I'll treasure it forever." I told him, placing it on my head. He giggled. I looked up just in time to see Jay take a picture, and gave the camera a silly face.

"Alright, Whit. This one is from Cypress and I." Nikita said, handing me a sort of cylindrical shaped wrapped present. I took it and unwrapped it. It was a gold dagger. I put my hand on the hilt, and flipped it, catching it easily.

"Sweet. Thanks, Nikita. Thanks, Cypress. I've been wanting something in Imperial Gold." I said, staring at the shining surface. I could see my reflection in it.

"Why does she get weapons, and half of the rest of them, but not me?" Sage asked. A couple of us laughed.

"Those of them that get weapons are all demigods." Mika explained.

"Legacies, actually. Unless Brady here just so happens to be a demigod, we're all legacies. Our parents are demigods, but we're not." I corrected, flipping the knife again.

"Either way, weapons are essential survival tools for you guys." Maddie said.

"Yeah, that's why." I said. I flipped the knife once more, before touching the tip to my charm bracelet. The dagger shrunk into a new charm.

"Well, here's your present from Jay and I." Maddie said, passing a box to Bailey, who passed it to me.

I unwrapped it to find a small box made of dark wood. I gave Maddie and Jay a confused look, but they just told me to open it. I opened the box and smiled. It held titanium studs and little hoops, a pair with each color of the rainbow. One red stud and red hoop, one set orange, one yellow, one green, one blue, one purple, one black, one white, and one normal titanium color. I took out the normal titanium colored ones and put them in, because I hadn't bothered to put on earrings that morning. "Thanks, guys." I said. Jay smiled.

I set the box aside as another gift was passed to me. "This one is from us." Lydia told me.

I opened it to find a Polaroid camera. One of the newer ones by the brand Fujifilm. It was light blue, and the carrying case for it was of the same color. "Awesome. I hope you all know I'll be taking pictures of you and keeping them no matter how stupid they are." I declared. Lydia laughed.

"Since you just opened that one, open mine next." Mason said, passing over a box. I opened it to find a cardboard box full of plastic packages of film for the camera. "I knew what my sister and her husband were getting you, so I thought that'd be a good idea."

"Thanks. Now I'll be able to take even more stupid pictures." I said. Mason laughed.

"Look under the film." Mason told me. I did so, finding a hundred dollar bill at the bottom of the box.

"Thanks." I said, putting the money in my pocket.

"Here's your gift from me." Samuel said, tossing something small to me. I reached up and caught it easily. I brought my hand down to look at it. It was a worn black leather wallet, with the word 'Dork' on the front in faded white lettering. It closed with two round metal buttons. "I always used to use that wallet, until I got a new one, but I figured it was the kind of thing you might like. Seems more your taste."

"It's perfect." I said. I took the money Mason had given me and put it in the wallet which, coincidentally, already held two hundred and fifty dollars. "Thank you very much." Samuel smiled.

"Here." Bailey handed me something. I unwrapped it to find a black trucker hat, with the words 'Blackmeadow Range' on the front in white lettering.

"Sweet. But how'd you get the farm name on it?" I asked.

"This website that makes clothing and stuff." Bailey said.

"Neat." I replied. I took off Dakota's crown, put on the hat, and then put the crown back on top. "How do I look?" I asked, striking a pose. That got a laugh from a couple of people, and a clap of the hands from Dakota.

"Fabulous." Brady told me.

"Here. I got you something I thought you might like." Hayden said, handing me a small box. It was an iPod. "It's monster-proof. And I downloaded all the songs from your phone onto it. Plus some other bands you've mentioned and albums from the artists you like."

"How'd you get it monster-proof?" I asked, looking up at him.

"I've got a few friends in Hephaestus cabin with crushes on you. They were all too happy to help." Hayden said with a shrug.

"Thank you. And make sure you give Jordan and Max my thanks as well." I said with an amused tone. Hayden smiled.

Next, Sage handed me a small box. I opened it to find three pairs of earbuds. One black, one white, and one purple.

"You'll have to find transportation, but we thought you might like these." Chelsey told me, handing me an unsealed envelope. I opened it to find three concert tickets, for a Streetlight Manifesto concert in Boston, Massachusetts. I nearly squealed in delight, except, I don't squeal. I did jump up and hug both Chelsey and Aaron, though. They both laughed.

"Here's our gift." Mika said, handing me a card. I took it out of the envelope. It had a cartoon sixteen on the front. I opened the card, which apparently held two hundred and fifty dollars, as it fell in my lap, and read what the inside said. The card itself read 'Wow! You're sixteen!'. But everyone had signed the card.

 _Happy sixteenth. You've become a wonderful young adult. - Mika_

 _Sixteenth birthday, already. Seems just yesterday you were a bouncing young child who loved to visit the family and run around with your cousins. Guess time flies when you're having fun, huh? - Liam_

 _Happy sixteenth birthday. You're growing up too fast. Stop it. Please. It's been great raising you, though. - Jay_

 _I was much like you when I was your age. I had the same sort of mindset. Keep on the way you are, stay true to yourself, and every little thing will be alright. - Samuel_

 _It wasn't too long ago that I was your age. Hell, I'm only just over double your age. I remember being sixteen. It's a lot of fun. But it can be hard, sometimes, too. It was a great opportunity, being able to help raise you with Jay. Just remember that if you need anything, you can come to us. - Maddie_

 _What a wonderful person you've become. I'm still surprised, sometimes, that Lyric decided to name you after me. But I've seen that you're a lot like her in some ways. One of those ways being that you both always seem to have some sort of reason behind everything you do. It's a good trait to have. Keep it. - Whitney_

 _Sixteen. I've loved every moment of being your godmother, and then your aunt when your grandmother married my father. I've loved every moment I've spent with you. - Chelsey_

 _I almost didn't believe it at first when you were first introduced to me. All I knew was my best friend and my brother sudden had a baby out of nowhere. But my reaction was actually to say 'You two make a perfect couple.' I had already had the Greek world explained to me, though not by either of them. It wasn't such a stretch to believe that the cute little baby was really theirs. Especially with the look of love on Lyric's face and the protective look on Kiernan's face. - Lydia_

 _Happy sixteenth, Whit. I've watched you growing up into the person you are now, and it's been one hell of a life. I'll never understand it, how you all do it with the supernatural sides. But that's fine. I don't need to. As long as you guys do. - Aaron_

 _Happy birthday, Whitney. Sixteen is a big milestone. Especially for one of your stature. You're powerful. Just don't forget about the normal life for the supernatural one. Or vice versa. - Cypress_

 _Wow. Watching your neighbor, your family member, grow up is an experience all to its own category. You get to be there for a lot of the ups and downs. I'm glad to have been there. Happy birthday. - Cole_

 _I was only seven when you were born. I remember that Orianne and I immediately loved you, and always wanted to be around you. And, as I've grown up, I've kept loving being around you. You're genuinely a fun person to be around. Happy birthday, Whitney. Stay fun. - Mason_

 _I was there for your birth, I was the one who helped Lyric to deliver her baby. I was the only one down there with her when we were taken. But she was strong, and she got through the pain, and she delivered her baby. You're just like her. You're strong, and you can get through anything. Happy sixteenth, Whitney. - Nikita_

 _Happy b-day! You are six ten! Yay! - Love, Dakota_

 _Happy birthday, Whitney. Even if I am seven years older than you, same age as your youngest uncle, (weird, huh?), you've always been more like a sibling to me. I think all of us cousins, even though Sage and I aren't your direct cousins, have always been like siblings. And I love that. I love that relationship that we all have. I don't know what I'd do without you, Whit. - Orianne_

 _Hey, cuz. You're sixteen. Congrats. Thanks for always being there for all of us when we needed it. We'll always be there for you when you need it. You can count on it. - Bailey_

 _Happy birthday, Whit. Happy sixteenth. You've always been such a great cousin to me, more than a cousin, a sibling, really. You helped me when I was having trouble at school. You helped me at camp when I couldn't figure out how to use my powers as a legacy of Hecate, and everyone else and everyone else made fun of me. I'll always be grateful for that. Thank you. - Hayden_

 _I know I didn't see you during the weeks and things like most of our other cousins did growing up, but I saw you often enough to be as close to you as them. And that made us all pretty damn close. It's like we were all born with the same set of parents, except not, because that would be a bit weird. Especially since we don't all look alike. But thanks for always being there. Happy sixteenth birthday, Whitney. - Sage_

 _Hey, cousin. You're sixteen. I'll be the same next month. I just wanted to say thanks. For everything. You've helped us all out, stood up for all of us, protected all of us. (Especially because you feel the need to because you're basically the oldest, Orianne being the exception, though she can't be around as much.) I wanted to say I really appreciate it. I appreciate when you helped though that time in my life when I was struggling with the fact that I was adopted. When I was struggling with the fact that my birth parents were not there for me. Both of us know how that feels, and it's not fun. You also helped me when the people at school all made fun of me. You helped me through a lot of things. Thank you. And, since we basically live as neighbors, you've become practically my best friend. I just wanted to thank you. Thank you and happy birthday, Whit. - Brady_

"Thank you all for the card." I said. I was literally about to cry.

"Here, we can do mine next." Orianne said, standing. She pulled me up with her and I followed her to the bathroom.

"Why are we going to the bathroom?" She didn't answer until we were inside the bathroom.

"One, I didn't think you'd want anyone else seeing what I got you. And two, I'll do any haircut you want. You should probably at least get a trim, though. You've got some dead ends on you. When was the last time you had your hair cut?" Orianne asked, lifting a lock of my hair.

"Umm. When you did it?" I asked sheepishly.

"Whit! That was eight months ago!" Orianne exclaimed. I shrugged. "Whatever. Open this." Orianne handed me a flat box. I opened it, and my immediate reaction was to punch her in the shoulder while my face burned bright red. She only laughed.

"Why would you get me this?" I asked, holding up the lacy lingerie.

"Because everyone should have a set. Even you." Orianne told me.

"Everyone? Guys and those with no gender included?" I asked.

"If you wear it, you'll feel sexy. Trust me. And everyone deserves to feel sexy every once in awhile. Doesn't have to be in front of anyone else." Orianne told me. I just shook my head and put it back in the box. I closed the box and set it aside. "Now, about your hair?"

"Surprise me." I told her. She smiled wide and sat me down on the chair that had been set up in the bathroom. She got to work immediately, using all her professional tools and doing professional things. Yeah, I don't really know how hair stylists do what they do. But that's a question to ask Orianne at another time. She could go on and on about her job as a stylist.

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 **Aaaaaannnnnndddddd, I'm back! (Sorry for the week late update, life got in the way, so you get two chapters this time round!)**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

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 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl:**_

"Surprise me." I told her. She smiled wide and sat me down on the chair that had been set up in the bathroom. She got to work immediately, using all her professional tools and doing professional things. Yeah, I don't really know how hair stylists do what they do. But that's a question to ask Orianne at another time. She could go on and on about her job as a stylist.

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When she was done, Orianne had me look in the mirror. "I gave you an asymmetrical bob, short on the right side, with the left side reaching down to about your chin. What do you think?" She asked."I think it just needs one more touch. Green is not the color for this style. Not on me." I said. Moments later, my hair was all a silvery white color. "There. Perfect."

"I'm so jealous that you can do that." Orianne said, beginning to pack her stuff together.

"It comes with Iris being my father's mother." I said with a shrug.

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We went back to the living room, and while everyone was distracted with looking at my new hairstyle, I stuck the box from Orianne under other gifts.

"Here's mine other one!" Dakota said excitedly once I had sat down. He gave me a blue zebra stuffed animal. It was made of some material like linen, had a square pattern to it, had two mismatched button eyes, a little pink fabric tongue sticking out of the end of it's snout, and a dark blue yarn mane going down it's back.

"He had the perfect idea of what he wanted you to have, so I had to bring him to the store to find all the materials and then I had to make it for him, while he dictated how everything went together." Lydia told me. I laughed. Leave it to Dakota to come up with something like that.

"This is the very best present I've gotten. Thank you, Dakota." I said. He smiled wide. I set the zebra down beside me, and it's legs splayed out. It was absolutely adorable.

"And this is from a bunch of us. All of us who had pictures pitched in to make this." Whitney told me, passing over a photo album. It was a simple light green-blue color. I opened to the first page.

It was a photo of a young girl. She was giving the camera a guarded look. On the lines next to the photo were the words 'Lyric Tucker, the day she was adopted.' My eyes widened a little. This was my mother.

The next photo was of a young boy, sitting at a piano, smiling crazily. 'Kiernan, ten years old. Mastered a hard song to play.' The first photo was my mother, and this was my father.

Another of my mother, except a few years older this time. She was sitting at a set of drums, holding up a pair of silver painted drumsticks. She was smiling. 'Lyric, happy with her new sticks.' The same sticks I always played with. The same drum set I used.

One of my father, in a football uniform. He still looked kind of young. The caption confirmed it. 'Kiernan in his freshman year, having made the football team.'

My mother beside a painting, smiling happily and showing off her work. 'Lyric beside her art class project, selected to be placed in a charity auction benefitting local soup kitchens, freshman year.'

My mother in a white uniform, smiling wide and standing beside a man in a similar uniform. A fabric belt hung over her shoulders. 'Lyric having just received her second degree black belt in taekwondo from her Instructor. Fifteen.'

My father in a football uniform again, standing with the rest of the team. 'Kiernan, captain of the football team, and the boys after a successful game. Sixteen.'

My mother wearing makeup, a flowing white dress, skin colored things on her feet that covered all but her heels and toes, holding a bouquet of flowers. She was posing sillily with a much younger looking Jay. 'Lyric after her recital, in her Contemporary costume, posing with Jay. Sixteen.'

Both of my parents, in some sort of lobby. My mother with her arm around my father, a confused expression on her face, and bandages on her hand. My father, with a bit of a pained expression, and bandages across his chest. 'Lyric and Kiernan after being released from the hospital. Seventeen and Eighteen.'

Both my parents on a stage, my mother at a drum set, my father at a piano. 'Lyric and Kiernan before their performance for the school concert.'

Both of my parents in a backstage area. My mother's arms around my father's neck, his arms around her waist, both pressed close together, his lips on hers. 'Lyric and Kiernan backstage after the show.'

This photo was obviously taken a moment after the previous. Both of them still close and with their arms around each other, but no longer with their lips pressed together. My father with a smirk, my mother with a very confused expression on her face, similar to the face she wore in the picture of them at the hospital. 'This and previous photo courtesy of Lydia.'

My parents, Jay, Maddie, and Lydia all posing sillily in costumes. My parents as vampires, Jay as a werewolf, Lydia as a zombie child, and Maddie as some sort of fairy. 'Annual Ashton Halloween Party.'

My parents posing together in their matching costumes. My father was holding my mother bridal style, and she had her arms wrapped around his neck, her head thrown back, and one leg kicked straight up. Both of them smiling at the camera. 'Lyric and Kiernan, matching costumes without knowing it.'

My father carrying my sleeping mother, who was only wearing boy shorts underwear and a large button up shirt. Jay holding an umbrella so she didn't get wet, and neither boy paying attention to the camera. 'Getting Lyric home after finding her run away to the farm.'

My parents and Jay sitting at the Hermes table. 'First breakfast at camp.'

My parents tangled together on a bed, asleep, only a sheet covering their bare skin. 'Sleeping peacefully. Before having a bucket of water dumped on them.'

My father sitting on the ground, forehead pressed against my mother's, who was sitting in his lap, holding a baby in between them. Her eyes were closed, and he was looking down at that baby, baby me, a smile on his face. 'Lyric and Kiernan after Lyric destroyed the ancient evil that had the audacity to take her baby.'

My parents asleep, nestled together on the fold out couch in the little room off the hall of the farm house, baby me in a nearby crib. 'First day back after everything.'

All of the teens sitting together in the grass, smiling for the picture. Nikita leaning on Cypress; Jay with an arm around Maddie; Chelsey and Lydia beside each other; my mother in my father's lap, holding baby me. 'Lazy day at the farm.'

All of the teens together in the grass, again, but with Orianne and Mason on either side of my parents. 'They wanted to be in the picture, too.'

My parents standing on the farmhouse porch, my father behind my mother, with his arms around her waist and his chin resting on her shoulder. My mother holding me, smiling big at the camera. 'Farm day.'

The rest of the photo album was empty, but I could fill it with my own pictures. I closed the photo album, hugged it to my chest, and looked up at my family.

"Thank you." I said. "Thank you so much."

"Alright, you children go off and hang out, you probably don't want to stick around and talk with the adults." Samuel said. We all knew he included Orianne and Mason as children, even if they were both twenty three and twenty.

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The first thing I did was imagine my cabin at camp. A moment later, I was there, my gifts with me. I started to put things away, so that I wouldn't have to do it later.I hung Dakota's crown on one of the posts of my bed. I took the earrings out of the little box and put them all in my jewelry box. I put the extra film for the camera that would fit in the case with it, and left the rest in the box, which I put on my desk. I put the wallet in the inside pocket of my leather jacket, which used to be my mother's, and put the Blackmeadow Range hat on one of the posts of my bed. I put two of the pairs of earbuds on my desk, and put the third and the iPod in the pocket opposite the one that held my wallet. I out the envelope with the concert tickets on my desk. I shoved the box that held the lingerie from Orianne under my pillow. I set Dakota's zebra on top of my pillow. The last thing I did was glue the back of the card to the inside front cover of the photo album, so that I could have that there as well whenever I looked through the photos.

I picked up the carrying case that held the camera and imagined Blackmeadow Range. I was there in a moment. I was in the living room, and all of my cousins and a couple of the adults seemed to have already left the room.

"Where did you just go?" Maddie asked.

"Camp. I was putting my things away in my cabin." I said.

"Alright. Well, you're needed outside. There are some people here to see you." Jay told me. I nodded and went outside.

"Physis?" I asked. My godly grandmother was standing in the grass, talking to Lydia and someone else.

"And Iris!" My other godly grandmother said, stepping to the side so I could see her.

"I can't believe you guys came!" I said, rushing down to hug both of them.

"Well, we both wanted to wish you the best on your sixteenth birthday." Physis said.

"It's not everyday you get a legacy, and that legacy turns sixteen. Really, it happens more on the Roman side than the Greek." Iris added.

"Thank you." I said.

"Whit!" Brady called. I looked over to see him standing with the rest of my cousins, except for Dakota, who was over with his father on the porch.

"Go have fun with your cousins. We must be getting back, soon I'm afraid." Iris said. I hugged them each once more before going over to my cousins.

"What?" I asked when I got over to them.

"Wanna play?" Brady asked.

"You bet." I answered. "Who shall be the first victim?"

We cousins had a game. We would all get together, and then someone would start us off by saying 'Wanna play?'. Then someone else would say 'You bet. Who shall be the first victim?' And from there, someone would take off running. Sometimes multiple people would take off running, as there was no deciding together before. The goal was to chase down the runners and knock them over. Once someone was down, you stayed down until the next game, unless you could get up without getting caught. Once all the runners were down, the game was won.

Brady, Hayden, and Orianne all took off running. I chased after Brady, while Sage and Bailey went after Hayden and Orianne.

I managed to catch up to Brady quickly, and tackled him from behind. He turned when he fell, and I ended up sitting on his chest. "Hah! You're down!" I exclaimed.

"Aren't you going to get up and help Sage and Bailey?" Brady asked.

"Nope." I said, shifting so that I was sitting cross-legged on his chest, and crossing my arms. "You'll just get up and run off again and hide. And last time, it took us forever to find you. Besides, I'm sure they'll be able to get them without me help."

"But I'm cold, laying here in the snow." Brady said. I shook my head at him.

"Brady!" Lydia called. I got up and held out a hand to him, helping him up. I wasn't going to make him stay there when his mom was calling for him.

I walked with him over to where Lydia was standing with Laura, Brady's other mom. "Mom!" Brady said, eyes lighting up. He hugged her, and she hugged him back. "What are you doing here at the farm?"

"Well, Lydia invited me. Besides, it's not like I don't know your family. I used to be part of that family, too." She said.

"Oh, Laura, you've met Whit before." Lydia said, introducing me to her ex-wife. I had met her before, she lived as my neighbor until she and Lydia divorced, and that was at least after I was four of five, when Brady was adopted.

"Of course I have, Lydia. Happy sixteenth birthday, Whit." Laura told me.

"Oh, Whit, I got you a gift, too." Brady said. He went over to his car and took a small box from the backseat, bringing it over and handing it to me. "I didn't get a chance to wrap it, and I didn't want to break it on accident if I went to bring it in."

I opened the box to find a twisted sculpture made of blue glass nestled among packing peanuts. It was really pretty. "Thank you, Brady." I said, laughing. Glass sculptures were a little bit of an inside joke between us.

Past him, I saw Orianne fall to the ground. "Orianne is down." I said. I looked around for Hayden. "And Hayden is... Down."

Before Brady could even think about running, I shoved him to the ground. Bailey and Sage cheered, running over to me.

"We win." I told Brady.

"You always win." Brady complained, getting up.

"That's because I'm smart and I know how to play the game. And I run, sometimes, too. So you can't complain." I told him.

"Why do you all enjoy shoving each other around so much?" Lydia asked, shaking her head.

"Because it's fun." Sage said with a shrug. I laughed.

"Be right back." I said. In the next moment, I was in my cabin. I set the gift from Brady onto my bed, and then was back at the farm.

"Wanna play?" Orianne asked. Hayden and Orianne had made their way over here while I was gone.

"You bet." Sage said. "Who shall be the first victim?"

I took off running, as did Brady. Lydia and Laura both laughed.

I was a much faster runner than any of my cousins, so I was able to outrun them pretty quickly. I went out of sight, and then imagined myself back by Lydia and Laura. I startled them when I appeared. "Hello, ladies." I said cheerfully.

"Is that how you manage to win? By using that necklace?" Lydia asked with a laugh.

I shrugged. "Why have it if I can't use it?" I said.

I glanced around, assessing where my cousins were. I saw Brady and froze. He was over by the vehicles, hiding behind one, but what made me freeze was the thing above his head. It was a glowing holograph, the symbols for a legacy of Aphrodite, a legacy of Hermes, and for a child of Apollo.

"Brady!" I called. Brady looked over to me as the rest of our cousins looked over to see what was wrong. Hayden and Bailey stopped in their tracks.

"What is it?" Brady asked, looking around. He managed a glance upwards, and saw the holograph. He swatted at it, but it didn't move. "What is that thing?"

"You were just claimed. Brady, you're a demigod and legacy." I told him.

"Wait, what?" Brady asked.

"You are a son of Apollo. And you are a descendant of both Aphrodite and Hermes." I said.

"Well, I guess we'll take you to camp next time we go." Bailey said.

"That's tomorrow. We're spending most of Thanksgiving break at camp, coming back on Thanksgiving, and then spending the weekend back at camp again." Hayden said.

"You'll be okay with that, Mom?" Brady asked, turning around to look at Laura.

"Well, you were supposed to be with me for the break, but I think that this is a much more important opportunity." Laura said.

"Thanks, mom." Brady said with a smile.

"Why don't you all go do something for now? We'll call you in for dinner and cake later." Lydia said, starting toward the farmhouse.

"Let's all go up to the loft." I suggested. My cousins all enjoyed hanging out there. "Race you." I challenged, taking off into a run. They all started running after me, all of us trying to be the first to get there.

* * *

I, being the fastest, got there first. I ran into the barn, and quickly located the ladder up to the hayloft. I climbed the stacked bales of hay and sat cross legged atop the tall pile.

My cousins were all there soon after, Bailey first, then Brady, then Orianne, then Hayden, then Sage. They all came up to the hayloft and moved around bales of hay to make more comfortable seats.

"So, what are we going to do to pass the time?" Hayden asked.

"Smile for the camera!" I shouted, pointing my camera at them from where I sat high above them. They all made silly faces and posed.

When the picture had printed and developed, I showed them. They all laughed as I put it in the inside pocket of my jacket.

We spent the next couple hours talking and shoving each other around.

* * *

"There you all are." Nikita said, climbing up the ladder to the hayloft. "It's time for dinner."

We all climbed down and followed Nikita back to the farmhouse, and went inside after getting as much hay off of ourselves as possible.

* * *

 **And that's chapter two!** **What do you think of the first chapters of** _ **More Than A Girl?**_

 **Who doesn't love shoving around the people that are like siblings to them? I know my younger brother enjoys it.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	4. Chapter 3

**You guys are lucky! Today's update was going to wait until tomorrow, but I've got a spare hour or so here. I wasn't supposed to have any time this afternoon, but I've managed.**

* * *

 _D_ _isclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

Since there were so many of us, we couldn't all sit at the dining table. So, the adults, well, parents, sat at the table. Us teens, along with Orianne and Mason, sat on the floor of the living room. It wasn't like we couldn't talk to our parents, the living room and dining room were essentially the same room, with no wall in between.

"So, Brady, I hear you're a demigod?" Chelsey asked, closer to the end of dinner.

"Apparently." Brady said.

"And a legacy." Hayden added.

"Of two gods." Bailey said.

"Wow. Which gods?" Jay asked.

Brady looked to me. I think he was still confused about all of this, and might not have comprehended it when I told him which gods. "Son of Apollo, legacy of Aphrodite, legacy of Hermes." I said.

"Well, he does look like an Apollo, if anything." Cypress observed. It was true. Brady had blonde hair and blue eyes, something most of his siblings had. If you thought about him as a child of the gods, then one of the first gods you'd think of was Apollo.

"But he's got that Hermes twinkle in his eye." Bailey said. "All of my uncles and aunts have got it. And dad."

"And he's got that Aphrodite charm with girls." I teased. Brady glared. Girls often liked him, but he'd never really found anyone that he actually liked like that.

"So you three will bring him to camp tomorrow?" Nikita asked.

"Yeah. Since he's already been claimed, he won't have to wait in the Hermes cabin. And we can give him a tour and everything, tell Chiron." I said. "Bring him to the armory, find him a weapon and train him for Friday's game."

"Brady, since you're Apollo cabin, you'll be on the opposite team of Hayden and I." Bailey said. "But at least you won't have to go against Whit." I smiled sweetly at Hayden and Bailey.

"I live alone in my cabin, so it's my choice on what team to join. But I usually stick with the Iris cabin." I said with a shrug. "Sometimes I'll play the other side, though. Depends on which of my friends are on what team."

* * *

Dinner ended soon, and Maddie brought out a cake. It was a marble cake, with purple and blue dyed frosting, making it really pretty looking. Written in green frosting were the words 'Happy sixteenth birthday, Whit.' Sixteen candles were stuck into the cake at intervals around the edge.

After everyone sang Happy birthday, and a couple of the adults snapped pictures, I cut the cake into pieces and we all ate.

Everyone pretty much retired to bed after that, or, to their rooms. Mika and Liam were in their room, obviously. Bailey and Hayden were staying in Sage's room with him. Jay and Maddie were staying in one of the guest rooms, while Chelsey and Aaron were staying in the other, which used to be Orianne's room. Lydia and Cole were staying with Dakota in one of the two campers that Mika and Liam owned. Nikita and Cypress were staying in the little room off the downstairs hall. Orianne and Mason were staying in the living room. Brady and I were in Mika and Liam's second camper.

"I'm back!" I called when I got back from camp, where I had changed.

"That's nice." Brady said from he sat on the couch. I went over and sat beside him.

"So, how do you feel about recent developments?" I asked.

"Very confused." Brady admitted.

"That's to be expected. Most are upon finding out themselves to be not mortal." I told him.

"I can understand why." Brady said.

"Alright, now get some sleep. It's late, and we are going to camp tomorrow." I told him, getting up and crossing the small camper to get to the bed.

"Night." Brady called.

"Night." I replied. I didn't actually fall asleep until somewhere around four in the morning.

* * *

"C'mon, Whit, get out of bed." Someone said, shaking me. I opened my eyes to see Brady.

"I don't want to." I told him, rolling over and clutching the blankets closer.

"Want me to IM Dustin and have him get you to get up?" Bailey asked. I shot up into a sitting position.

"Don't you dare!" I exclaimed. While Dustin may have been a son of Apollo, he was a horrid singer. That side of his powers was better used for things like whistling, as he could let out a whistle that could cause damage to a human, a monster, or even inanimate objects or buildings or anything, depending on what frequency he whistled at.

"Get up and get ready to go to camp." Bailey said, holding up a drachma. I threw a pillow at him. He caught it, laughing. I glared, and then was back at my cabin in a moment. I got changed and went back to the camper.

"There. I changed." I said, crossing my arms and glaring at Bailey. He laughed.

"I knew that'd get you up." He told me. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"C'mon. We're gonna have breakfast at camp. Hayden's waiting by the driveway." Bailey said. I followed him out of the camper, and Brady followed after me. We went into the house to say goodbye to everyone, then went to go meet Hayden.

"So, how are you guys getting to camp?" I asked Hayden.

"Party Ponies. Mom's friends are great." Hayden said.

"That is a subjective term." I told him. He laughed.

"Well, I'll see you guys at Camp. I'm gonna bring the bike and keep it with the vans." I told them, going over to the willow tree that the bike stood near. I stopped for a moment to look at my parents' graves. Then I slid into the motorcycle, not starting it, and imagined myself in the little lot that the camp vans were kept in. Once there, I got off the motorcycle and started the walk to Half-blood Hill. By the time I got there, my cousins and the distance-bending centaurs should be there.

* * *

Sure enough, they got there at the same moment as me. Bailey and Hayden helped Brady down, who was looking a little bit sick.

"So, let's go find Chiron, and then by the time we're done, it should be breakfast. You guys are of course welcome to sit with me. I told Dustin and Andrea that I was back today, so they'll be there, too." I said, clapping my hands together.

"Who's Dustin?" Brady asked, likely thinking about earlier.

"One of my two best friends. Andrea's the other. Other than you, of course, Brady, but they're not related to me." I told him. He just nodded. "Now, c'mon." I started down toward the Big House.

* * *

"Whitney, boys. You've found a demigod?" Chiron asked when we entered the living room.

"Yeah. Our cousin was claimed yesterday." Hayden said.

"The adopted one?" Chiron asked. I nodded. "Who?"

"Child of Apollo, legacy of Hermes, legacy of Aphrodite." Bailey answered.

"I'd suggest you introduce him to his cabin after breakfast." Chiron said, just as the horn sounded through camp.

"Will do." I replied. "C'mon, guys."

* * *

We went to breakfast, and, after sacrificing part of our food to the gods, we sat at my table. The boys sat across from me. Soon after, Dustin and Andrea came over and sat on either side of me.

"Happy birthday, Whit." Dustin said.

"You're sixteen. Now you're finally our age!" Andrea exclaimed. I stuck my tongue out at her.

They both caught sight of Brady. "Who's this?" Andrea asked.

"This is my adopted cousin, Brady. Also, apparently, son of Apollo and legacy of Aphrodite and of Hermes." I said.

"Sweet, I've got another brother, the girls were starting to outnumber us. When's Chiron going to-" Dustin started to ask, but was cut off by an announcement.

"Campers! We've gained another today! All hail Brady Carpenter, son of Apollo, god of the sun, music, medicine, and poetry. Legacy of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, legacy of Hermes, messenger of the gods and god of thievery and travel." Chiron announced.

There were cheers from the Apollo table. And a couple from the Aphrodite and Hermes tables.

"Apparently now." Dustin finished. I laughed, as did Andrea.

"So, plans for the day?" Andrea asked.

"I don't know. Introduce Brady to his cabin, have them give him the tour and stuff. Probably head out to Vintage Attitude for a little while." I said with a shrug.

"You love that shop. What do you even do there?" Hayden asked.

"Work shifts. How do you think I get my money? The owner knows me well enough to let me work there when I get the chance. Usually just him or his daughter working there anyway." I said with a shrug. "And other times, I'm a customer. It's a great thrift shop. They've got everything."

"Alright. Well, we're planning a celebratory campfire, after tonight's, down on the fireworks beach. By your cabin, actually. So don't miss it, because it's for your birthday, Kay?" Andrea said.

"Alright. I wouldn't miss it for the world." I promised.

When breakfast ended, we brought Brady over to the Apollo table and introduced him. They promised to get him some clothes for the week and show him around, explain things for him.

I said goodbye to my friends and my cousins, and imagined myself in my cabin. I grabbed my mom's old dance bag, the mesh drawstring one, and tossed a couple things in it. Camera, wallet, iPod. On a whim, I put the photo album in the bag as well. Then I imagined myself by the tiny parking lot hidden from the mortals by the mist. I slid onto the motorcycle and put the keys in the ignition. I started the motorcycle and drove out of the parking lot, down the long road, and onto the streets of New York.

* * *

It took me a little while to get there, taking a longer route to enjoy the new motorcycle, but it didn't take that long. I parked in the little lot and put the keys in my pocket before going inside.

"Ah, Whit!" The shopkeeper said, looking up when the bell on the door rang. "Have you come as customer or staff?"

"I can take over a shift for you, if you'd like. My day's open until tonight." I told him.

"That would be lovely. I'll be in the back. Call for me if you need anything." He said. I nodded, making my way over to stand behind the counter as he went through the door to the back. I set my bag on a small shelf behind the counter.

There weren't very many customers, it being so early in the morning, just after breakfast. It was eight o'clock.

* * *

Around noon, someone came into the shop, and I looked up. "Dustin? What are you doing here, I thought I wasn't going to see you at all until tonight?" I asked, a curious tone to my voice.

"Got a hot date later?" He asked. I realized it was, in fact, not Dustin. My face flushed.

"No. My friends are holding a bonfire later to celebrate my sixteenth birthday, it having been yesterday." I told the guy. I looked back down to my nails, back to filing them with the file of a multi tool, to ignore the guy while he browsed.

But of course, he came over to the counter. "Well, happy sixteenth, then." He told me.

"Thanks." I replied, not looking up.

"So, do you have a boyfriend, then?" The guy asked.

I looked up, about to tell him off, when another guy, standing with a girl, called out to him. "Quit harassing the staff and help us, dude." I mentally thanked the guy who had called out as the guy who I had originally thought was Dustin went over and joined them. They began to browse around, probably looking for something for a specific person if they asked him to help.

I finished filing my nails, closed the multi tool, and touched the end to my bracelet. It shrank into a tiny charm in the blink of an eye. It was a charm modeled after a multitool.

A little while later, the girl came up to the counter. She set down a medieval looking set of jewelry. Silver dragon earrings with blue gems in their mouths and for eyes; a silver dragon ring modeled the same way; and a necklace that had a dragon's claws holding onto a blue gem for a pendant. I rang them up for her, put them into cardboard jewelry boxes, and put the boxes in a bag for her.

I had just handed her the bag when I glanced out the windows at the front of the shop. What I saw made my blood run cold. It was a monster, and it was slowly walking toward a child, a child that was unmoving, paralyzed with fear. "Daniel," I called loudly, speaking quickly, "I think I'm going to have to leave earlier than I thought. I'm sorry." I grabbed my bag and put it on my back, darted out from behind the counter, and ran out of the shop.

I grabbed the charm for my imperial gold dagger as I approached the monster. "Hey!" I shouted. It turned around to face me, and roared. "Pick on someone your own size!" I threw the dagger, impaling it between the eyes. It only got angrier.

I jumped out of the way as it charged at me. I pulled on another charm, this one my celestial bronze sword. When the thing charged at me again, I stepped to the side and slashed at it. Black blood sprayed from the wound. I didn't take the time to wonder at it not being gold. I just grabbed another dagger, celestial bronze, and threw it. It impaled the monster in the heart, and the monster folded in on itself until there was nothing left. I grabbed my daggers and put them back on my charm bracelet quickly, after doing the same to my sword.

I went over to the child. She seemed unhurt. I gently placed my hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay?" I asked. She nodded. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Quinn Beckett." She said. My eyes widened. I knew Nikita's mother lived in New York, and near here, but I hadn't thought much about it.

"Your mother isn't very nice, is she?" I asked.

"Mommy scares me. Her boyfriends, too." Quinn told me. Boyfriends. She was too young to understand what a prostitute was, or that her mother was one. "That's why I ran away again. She keeps finding me. And then she locks me in my room and doesn't let me out for a long time."

"Girl, how did you kill that demon? How did you see it?" A voice asked. I looked over my shoulder It was the two boys and the girl from the shop.

"What do you mean, how did I see it? I've always been able to see them. Always been able to kill them." I said, not really in the mood to speak to them about things such as these.

"I think you should come with us." The girl said. "You don't know what you are, and we can help you with that."

"What in the gods' name are you talking about?" I asked. I knew exactly what I was. And that was a legacy.

"There might be more of them. We shouldn't explain here. Come with us, to our home. We'll be safe there." The girl said.

"Alright." I stood, and took Quinn's hand. "I want you to come with me, okay?"

"But I don't know you." Quinn said.

"It's okay. I know your older sister. She's part of my family, too, so that kind of makes us family. And I know that she and her husband would love to have you live with them, if you wanted." I explained.

"You know Nikita?" Quinn asked excitedly. "Mommy talks about her sometimes. She hates her because she left her, but I would have done the same thing. I try to leave like Nikita did, but I'm too little and Mommy keeps finding me."

"Well, your mother actually left her, but that's a story for when you're older, okay? Now, c'mon. I'll see about getting into contact with her later, okay?" I asked.

"Okay!" Quinn said brightly.

At that moment, a woman turned the corner onto the street. "Quinn!" She called, looking around. She spotted us, and began to hurry towards us. Quinn cowered behind me.

"What are you heathens doing with my daughter? Give her here." She ordered.

"Hello, Ms. Beckett." I said cheerily. She stepped back. "Oh, yeah, I know who you are. I know what you've done. But you don't know me. Let me introduce myself. I'm your daughter's goddaughter."

"Nikita is still alive?" She asked.

"Oh, yeah, she totally defeated that whole plan of yours and your lover's. And then when he came up with another plan and tried to kill her and my mother, they undermined him once again. He's gone away for good, now." I told her. She stepped back again.

"And since you know what your daughter was, you can probably guess what my mother was. What I am." I said, pulling the imperial gold dagger from my bracelet and twirling it through my fingers. She took another step back.

"You don't know anything." She accused.

"Oh, you had best bet my godmother told me everything. We're closer than one might imagine. I know everything you ever did to her, let them do to her. And here's the thing. You are never getting near your children again. I won't allow it. Do you remember your son? I'm not letting that happen to Quinn here. And I'm not letting what happened to Nikita happen to her, either." I told her. "Now get the hell away from us." She turned and ran away. I put the dagger back on my bracelet.

"C'mon, Quinn. We're gonna go someplace safe for now, okay." I told her. She nodded and hugged herself close to me. I took her hand in mine and looked to the three teens on the sidewalk behind us.

"I'm not going to question what the hell just happened right now." One of them said. "Just follow us."

We didn't have to walk for very long until we reached a black pickup truck. The girl got into the driver's seat, as did one of the boys. I was stuck sitting in the back beside the boy who looked almost exactly like Dustin. Quinn was sitting next to the window.

I ended up falling asleep in the truck. Surprisingly, it was one of the few places I could always fall asleep easily. Whitney and Jay always told me I got it from my mom.

* * *

 **And here we meet little miss Quinn Beckett! She wasn't actually planned to be a character at first, but then I was thinking of how I wanted to end this whole story, so she may or may not play a part in that. It's undecided.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	5. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

I opened my eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. I was in a bed. There was a nightstand, and a dresser, and three doors, each on a different wall.

"Do you always go into a coma like that when you sleep?" Someone asked. I looked up to see the Dustin lookalike.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, sitting up.

"You fell asleep in the truck. We couldn't wake you up when we got here. It was like you were in a coma." He said.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked.

"Some hours. Its six o'clock, now." He told me helpfully.

"Lovely. I've been asleep for five and a half hours." I groaned.

"That girl fell asleep too. She woke up a little while ago, but she wouldn't talk to us. All she did was drink some of the water we gave her." The guy said.

"Quinn. Where is she? I need to talk to her." I said.

"C'mon. Follow me." The guy said, standing from the folding chair he was sitting in and making his way toward the door. I stood from the bed and followed him.

I memorized the way as we went. Down a hall, down some stairs, that there must be the front door that we are passing, through a couple halls, and finally to a large living room. There were a couple couches, a couple chairs, a fireplace. Quinn was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, clutching a blanket around her body.

I went over and sat beside her. "Hey, Quinn." I said, putting an arm over her shoulders. She leaned into me.

"Hi." She said quietly.

"I'm going to ask you a couple things. I'll tell you whatever you want to know. Is that okay, sweetheart?" I asked. She nodded her head.

"How old are you, Quinn?" I asked gently.

"Eight and a half." She told me.

"You're the same age as my cousin, Dakota, then." I said. "What's your mother like?"

"Scary. Mean. She hits me sometimes. And she locks me in the dark. And sometimes she won't give me food. And she tells me things, too. She tells me she hates Nikita and Nikita is why her life is so bad. And that I am, too. She tells me she hates me. And then her boyfriends like to hit me, sometimes, too. And she just watched and smiles. They say it's to make me tough. I don't feel tough." Quinn explained.

"That's because they're all wrong, Quinn. Nikita did nothing wrong to her, she was messed up long before Nikita was born. Long before you ever were born. And her... Boyfriends, are wrong too. They're just cruel human beings who are also messed up." I told her.

"Do you think Nikita really will let me live with her?" Quinn asked.

"I do. She's been married to her husband, Cypress, for four years now. It took them a really long time to realize they liked each other, loved each other. It's been seventeen years, about, since she met him. But I know her well enough, I know him well enough, to know that they'd love to have you live with them." I explained.

"But won't they have their own kid? Mommy always told me that you can't love more than one kid, and that's why she always liked her first baby best, but he never got born because he was sick." Quinn said.

"That's a complete lie. Quinn, alot of the things your mother told you are lies, or the truth twisted. Anyone can love however many kids they want. And, besides, Nikita and Cypress don't have any children. They were thinking about maybe having a kid one day, but Nikita always was more for adoption." I told Quinn. She didn't need to know the reasons behind that. "And, you'll get to join our big group of family. I have six cousins, and an uncle the same age as my oldest cousin. My youngest cousin is your age, and you're basically my aunt. I know that they'll all love just as much as I do, as much as Nikita will. As much as a family is supposed to."

"Really?" Quinn asked.

"Really." I confirmed. She smiled.

"I have one more question." Quinn said.

"Shoot." I told her.

"What's your name?" Quinn asked.

"My name is Whit. Well, that's what I mostly go by. My full name is Whitney, but sometimes I feel weird with that name, also especially when I'm in the same room as my grandma, because I was named after her." I explained softly, loud enough for only her to hear.

"Thank you for helping me, Whit." Quinn said quietly. I smiled.

"Your welcome." I told her.

We sat quietly in front of the fire for another few minutes.

"I've just gotten back from the meeting with the Clave, and-" A voice started, but stopped abruptly. "Who are these people?"

I turned around to see a woman with black hair and brown eyes. I realized Dustin lookalike was sprawled out on one of the couches, while the girl and boy from earlier were in chairs. The girl had a book, the boy a phone.

"She's one of us, Mom. She saw the demon and killed it, no problem." The boy said, looking up from whoever he was texting.

"And who's the child?" The woman asked, setting down a purse on an end table.

"Apparently, that is her godmother's little sister. She saved her from the demon on the street, over in Manhattan." The girl said, not even looking up from her book. I caught a glimpse of the title. Inheritance.

"Does she know about us?" The woman asked.

"Apparently, not at all." Dustin lookalike said. I really ought to find out their names soon.

"So, when can we go?" I asked. "I have places to be."

"Ah, yes, that bonfire you were talking about. Sorry about that, but you'll have to miss it. You're going to need to stay here for awhile." Dustin lookalike said.

"You can't keep us here." I said, time verging on threatening.

"Probably could, actually, but there's alot of explaining to be done. And it's for your own safety." He responded.

"We just want to talk to you about what we are. What you are." The woman said, tossing an irritated glance towards the boy.

"Tell me now, then. What are you? What is it that you think you are?" I asked, crossing my arms. Quinn shifted so that she was more comfortable, head against my side.

"Shadowhunter. Half mundane, half angel warriors created to fight demons and keep Downworlders, the rogues, at least, from killing every mundane out there." The woman said. I was shocked. Not that angels were a thing. Just that there was another supernatural race out there, one that wasn't connected to some sort of gods. I supposed their angels were similar, but just by the different name, they sounded like they'd be alot different.

"Lovely." I said. I didn't mention that they were wrong and I was something completely different.

"You aren't surprised?" The girl asked, looking up from her book.

"I've seen some weird things. What other explanation would make sense?" I asked with a shrug. I don't know, maybe an explanation wherein I am a descendant of the Greek gods and not the child of an angelic race?

"You don't have any questions?" The woman asked.

"A couple." I said. "So, you guys are like, children of angels?"

"No, the angels haven't come down from heaven in a long time, except for a few times in the past few decades. Nephilim blood is dominant, so if a Shadowhunter were to have a child with a mundane, that child would be a Shadowhunter. But most stick with other Shadowhunters. Though we've got the cup now, and the Clave is allowing marriage to mundanes, if they've ascended." The woman explained. I didn't understand half of that, but whatever. I got the gist. The angels stayed in heaven, Shadowhunters were born through the people of their race having children, and apparently they had some cup that could make the mortals one of them.

"Next question. What the hell is a Downworlder?" I asked.

"The vampires, werewolves, fae, and warlocks. They stick to the Accords as long as we do, most of them." The woman told me. I mentally shuddered. I'd encountered Greek vampires, empousai, before. Kelli was an awful cheerleader.

"Alright. Last question. Why do you think I am one of you?" I asked.

"Because one, you saw that demon correctly. And two, you killed it." Dustin lookalike said.

"But is that definitive evidence?" I asked.

"For the most part. But allow me to ask you something." The woman started. "What is your last name?"

"My last name happens to be Ashton. Though my mom's adopted family has the name Tucker. And her deranged father, I don't think anyone even knows his last name. He was, and I quote, 'a man who went by many names'. My mom's biological mom or something told her something like that." I said.

"So it's possible that he was a Shadowhunter. Or even your mother's biological mother. It's even possible that your father's family had a Shadowhunter in their past." The woman explained. "What is your biological grandmother's last name?"

I hesitated for a moment. My biological grandmother was a Greek goddess. She didn't have a last name. "Perry." I said smoothly. It was the first name I could think of.

"Yes, well, the point stands. You must've had a Shadowhunter somewhere in your past." The woman told me. I shrugged.

"Hey, we never introduced ourselves." The girl said. "I'm Lizzy Mapleheart."

"Aeric Mapleheart." The boy said, looking up from his phone. Of course they were siblings. They looked alike. They both had the same black hair and brown eyes. They actually looked like the woman.

"Laila Lewis-Lovelace. I went back to my maiden name when my husband and I divorced. Though the children stayed with me, he fought hard for them to keep his name. Didn't want his line to die out, even when he's got that pretty new wife of his. No, he just wanted his name under the Lewis-Lovelace family tree." The woman said. So they were her children. And apparently, someone in her family was important.

"And I am the great David Herondale." The boy said.

"I'm Quinn Beckett." Quinn spoke up.

"I'm Whit." I said.

"Whit? Is that short for something?" Laila asked.

"Yeah. But I prefer to go by Whit, for multiple reasons I don't wish to disclose at the moment." I said. I wasn't even out to my whole family, or my friends. No way was I telling strangers.

"Alright. David, why don't you show them to the empty room next to yours? Whit can stay there. And I'm assuming Quinn will want to stay with her?" The woman asked. Quinn nodded and scooted closer to me.

"Alright, then, Whit. Quinn. Let's go." David said, getting up from his place on the couch he'd been on. I stood, as did Quinn, and we followed him out of the room.

* * *

He walked back the way we had come to the living room, and was starting up the stairs when I stopped. I had stopped at a painting I hadn't before noticed beside the stairwell. It was a black raven perched on the branch of a pine tree, with the muted glow of a city in the background. The tree and the raven both held incredible detail.

"You actually like that painting?" David asked, coming over to where I stood.

"It's beautiful." I said, reaching out to brush my fingertips along the wing of the raven.

"Eh." David said. "I don't really like it. It's got bad taste. And I don't feel like it's any good."

"The artist who created this piece has wonderful taste! And the skill is amazing. There's no reason whatsoever for you to insult this." I said. My fingers brushed down to the little signature in the corner, written in white on the trunk of the pine tree.

"But who cares about ravens? And who even paints like that? It's weird." David argued. I turned to him, and punched him in the jaw. His head snapped back, and he stumbled back a step. He recovered quickly, rubbing his jaw. "Damn. Who gets angry over a stupid old painting?"

"That painting might be old, but it's not stupid, it's not tasteless, and the artist was definitely one of the best out there. You have no right to insult her!" I exclaimed.

"You act like you know the person. How do you even know if it's a she?" David asked.

"Just bring us to the room we are staying in." I said coldly. He didn't need to know that the artist, with their signature at the bottom, Lyric T., was my late mother. He didn't need to know that this was the painting that I had a photo of my mother standing beside, freshman year, smiling happily at her finished product. He didn't know that this was one of my mother's passions, and that whenever I was near her paintings, I felt more at peace with the fact that I didn't have my parents.

David led us up to a room, and stopped at the door. "Here's your room. Your bag is already inside." David said. He pointed to the door next to it. "No one else is in this hall. Except me. That's my room, if you need anything." He gave me a smirk, and I contemplated slapping him. But I decided I'd rather not show much more violence around the abused child.

I went into the room, and Quinn followed. I closed the door behind us and grabbed my bag off the chair by the door. I joined Quinn on the bed.

"Why'd you get so mad about the painting?" Quinn asked curiously.

"Let me show you." I said. I pulled my photo album out of my bag. I flipped open to the picture and showed her.

"Hey, that's the painting!" Quinn said.

"Yeah. My own mother painted it in her first year of high school. I got mad because she was an amazing artist. All of her work is extremely beautiful." I explained.

"Was?" Quinn asked.

"She died a couple days after I was born. So did my dad. I was raised by my mother's brother." I said.

"Oh." Quinn said.

"Do you want to see a picture of your sister?" I asked.

"Yeah!" Quinn said.

I flipped to the farthest part of the photo album, and showed her one of the last pictures, the one with all of the teens sitting in the grass. I pointed out Nikita. "That's Nikita and Cypress. This picture was taken about sixteen years plus a day or so ago." I told her.

"She's so pretty." Quinn said.

I flipped to the next page, where I had put the picture I had taken of everyone at dinner, getting up and standing at the edge of the room, so as to get everyone in the picture. "This is her, yesterday." I told Quinn. Quinn smiled.

"Do you want to talk to her?" I asked Quinn.

"You're gonna let me call her?" Quinn asked in excitement.

"Even better. Come with me." I said, putting the photo album back in my bag. I got up, bringing my bag, and went to the bathroom. Quinn followed. I locked the bathroom door shut behind us. I turned on the shower to create a mist, and pulled out a drachma from my wallet. I always kept a few of the coins in there. I tossed it into the mist. "Oh, Iris, accept my offering. Show me Nikita Beckett at Blackmeadow Range."

A screen appeared in front of us, made of thick mist, but you could see through it slightly. Nikita was sitting at the table, Cypress beside her. "Whit?" Nikita asked as I turned the shower off.

"Hey." I said. "Quinn, say hi." I nudged the girl.

"Hi, Nikita!" Quinn said excitedly.

"Hello?" Nikita asked.

"Nikita, I'd like you to meet Quinn. Quinn Beckett." I said. Nikita dropped her fork.

"She had another child?" Nikita asked.

"Apparently." I confirmed. "I found her on the street outside the thrift shop. I killed the thing attacking her, and then I spoke to her. I realized who she was when she said her last name. Then she came around the corner, calling for her. I scared her off."

"Good. She doesn't deserve to be within ten miles of her." Nikita said.

"Would you really let me live with you?" Quinn asked. I could tell she was starting to doubt what I had said.

"Of course!" Nikita said. "Cypress and I would love to have you live with us. We live in New Rome, but we're up here at the farm alot. How old are you, sweetheart?" Nikita asked.

"Eight and a half!" Quinn said proudly.

"So you're the same age as Dakota, then. I think you two would get along well." Cypress said.

"Where are you guys now?" Nikita asked.

"I don't really know. I fell asleep in the truck." I said. She gave me a strange look. "I'm visiting someone."

I was about to say something else, but then another IM appeared just behind the one I was using to talk to Nikita. "I'll talk more later. I've got another Iris Message." I said, and swiped a hand through the mist.

* * *

 **Whit can get an IM while she's IMing someone else, but I can't even get my friends to text me back in enough time for me to be able to actually talk.**

 **So, I'm going as a Shadowhunter for Halloween. I'm going to dress in my leggings with the leather stripes, a black tank top, and my black jacket, plus my combat boots. I'm also gonna have Izzy's necklace and whip-bracelet, plus a homemade stele! I've already ordered the clay for it, which will be here on Thursday, and then I'll make it this weekend. I'm super excited about it. And eyeliner and hairspray can be used for some pretty good temporary tattoos, so I'll be doing plenty of runes, too!**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Review Replies:**

 **StellaAthena36 - A shadowhunter is a descendant of the main race of The Mortal instruments series by Cassandra Clare, and Part III onward is actually a crossover with PJO and TMI, and the shadowhunters keep the mundane (human, nortal, etc.) world safe from demons. And Whit didn't tell them because she can't just go around telling mortals what she is, or there'd be mass panic! Also, she doesn't know or understand what they are.**

* * *

 _Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl:**_

I was about to say something else, but then another IM appeared just behind the one I was using to talk to Nikita. "I'll talk more later. I've got another Iris Message." I said, and swiped a hand through the mist.

* * *

"Where are you, Whit?" Dustin asked. "I thought we told you we were going to celebrate after the campfire. Dinner starts soon, and you're nowhere to be seen."

"Sorry. I've gotten caught up in some things." I told him.

"Caught up in things? Whit, we specifically told you not to miss it." Dustin complained.

"Sorry." I gave him a sheepish smile. "But hey, meet my godmother's eight and a half year old sister that I just rescued." Quinn waved at him. He looked surprised for a moment.

"Hello." He said.

"Whit? Who are you talking to?" A voice called. David. He sounded like he was in the room the bathroom was connected to.

"No one!" I called back, panicking. Quinn sat on the edge of the bathtub, watching silently.

"I'm pretty sure I heard a male voice." David said.

"I'm really not talking to anyone. Just checking out Quinn for bruises or cuts." I called. I looked to the IM, and mouthed 'Talk later'. Dustin nodded and swiped a hand through the mist, ending the IM.

The door opened a moment later. "That was locked." I accused.

"Opening rune." David said, holding up a stick with a clear tip. What? "Shadowhunter can use steles to apply runes, whether to the body or to an object. Runes can only be placed on shadowhunters or objects. Anyone else, and you'll go mad and probably feel alot of pain." Well. I was going to stay far away from those things, then.

"Have you eaten anything today? We're having dinner, if you'd like to join us. It's around six thirty, now." David told me.

"C'mon, Quinn. Let's go have some dinner." I said, holding out my hand. She got up and took my hand, following eagerly.

We followed David down to the dining room, which was next to the kitchen, which was next to the living room we'd been in earlier. Quinn took a seat on one end of the table while I got plates for her and I. Someone had made spaghetti and garlic bread. I brought the plates over to the table and sat by Quinn.

David sat next to me after getting himself a plate. Lizzy came in soon after us and sat across the table, and when they got to the dining room, Laila and Aeric sat on either side of her.

"So, seems you already know how to fight a little, you should show is what you know after dinner." David said. "Maybe we can correct some of that. You're doing it all wrong."

"If it kills the things that mean us harm, then how is it wrong?" I snapped. "My fighting is perfectly alright. I've long been a great fighter, with many weapons."

"That's debatable." David said.

"David, stop harassing her." Laila said.

"Well, you have to say it's true. She fights all wrong." David argued. I snorted. "What?"

"Sorry, it's just, fighting the way I do keeps me alive. And if it works, why not?" I asked.

"You're going to fail the moment you find a stronger opponent, or an opponent who thinks about their attacks." David told me.

"Oh, please. I'm not stupid. I know how to think ahead in a fight. And I'm much stronger than I look, thank you." I said, rolling my eyes.

"Wanna prove that?" David asked.

"And how might I do that?" I asked.

"After dinner, spar with me." David said. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

"Please. I don't need it. Especially not against you."

* * *

When we all finished eating, I followed the Shadowhunters to the training room. Quinn went back upstairs, deciding to go to sleep, because it was sort of late. For her, anyways.

"The weapons are over there, you can go take a couple." David told me, pointing out a couple racks full of weapons. Rather than tell him I already had my own weapons, I went over and looked over the weapons.

I grabbed a sword made of an odd transparent material, then moved to stand in the middle of the room, across from David.

"That's all you're going to grab?" David asked.

"I shouldn't need much more than I've got." I told him. He raised an eyebrow, and I kept an innocent look on my face.

He started the match by trying to jab at me with his sword, and I easily blocked it. We traded blows for a few minutes, both of us blocking each other. Though I did notice that his movements were all strict and set, as if he were performing specific techniques that needed to be done perfectly.

He finally managed to knock my sword away, and held the tip of his sword to my throat, thinking he'd won. I batted it aside with my own celestial bronze sword from my charm bracelet. He was confused, but quickly began to spar with me again.

When I knocked his sword from his hand, he immediately had out a dagger. We continued trading blows and he knocked my sword away. I pulled out my imperial gold dagger. I managed to knock away his weapon, and he had out another dagger. I had no idea where he was keeping his weapons, but if I could have a magical charm bracelet full of weapons, he could certainly have many weapons as well.

When he knocked away my imperial gold dagger, I pulled out my celestial bronze one. I managed to knock away his dagger, and he seemed to have no more weapons. I stood in front of him, breathing heavily, the tip of my knife under his neck. I was about to move back when my feet were swept out from underneath me. I landed on my back on the ground, and he straddled me, holding my own dagger to my throat. He smirked, thinking he'd won.

I reached up and punched him in the throat. He, surprised, fell over backwards. I pulled myself from underneath him, standing quickly, and drew my last weapon, a second sword of celestial bronze. With David still on the floor recovering, I stepped on my blade to keep him from using it, and pointed my sword at him, the tip just under his chin.

"You win." David told me, coughing. I removed my sword from his throat and placed it back onto my charm bracelet. I stepped away from him, and willed my weapons to return to my bracelet. All of them did, including the sword I had borrowed from the rack of weapons.

"While you did well, I've never seen anyone fight like that." Laila observed. I shrugged.

"That was awesome. Someone had to beat David. He's got too big an ego." Lizzy told me. I laughed.

I said goodnight to them all and went upstairs to the room Quinn and I were sharing. She was asleep on one side of the bed. I went quietly into the attached bathroom and took a shower. When I exited, there were two piles of clothes on the bed, one for the night, one for the next day. I slipped the pajamas on, set the other clothes aside, and climbed into the bed next to Quinn.

* * *

I woke up to someone shaking me awake. I immediately lashed out and punched the person in the face. I was brought back to reality by whoever it was saying "Ow!"

I sat up and looked around. It was David who had been shaking me. "Why'd you punch me?" He asked.

"Reflex." I said with a shrug. You'd have the same reflex if you had the cousins I did, especially when the one descended from Hermes got the rest of them into pranking. He rubbed his jaw, which was beginning to bruise already. Whoops.

"Well, get dressed. Laila's got to take you to the Silent City. The Clave wants an evaluation, and they're going to see if they can figure out where in your family there is a Shadowhunter." David told me. I nodded and he left.

I got up and slipped on the clothes that had been left for me the previous night. I slipped my leather jacket on over top and put on my sneakers. Quinn wasn't in the room, so I guessed she was downstairs with the others.

I left the room and went downstairs, where Laila was waiting for me by the front door. "You ready to go?" She asked me. I shrugged. "Well, we're headed to the Silent City, and then we're going to the Clave's meeting today. David and my children will be attending the meeting as well. Quinn will have to stay here for the meeting, but it shouldn't last too long." I nodded.

I followed her outside to where a swirling vortex was waiting. She took my hand, told me to clear my mind, and we stepped through.

* * *

 **Whitney Warren Ashton. What are you doing here?** A voice echoed in my mind. I looked ahead to see a group of men, all wearing long robes, and all with creepy faces.

"The Clave wanted an evaluation, to see if you might find out more about her past. We've already determined her a Shadowhunter." Laila said. She must've heard the voice, too.

 **Do not tell anyone of your heritage, demigod. Were the Clave to find out, the results would be disastrous. We will introduce you as a descendant of a half nephilim warlock, one alike the descendants of Tessa Gray.** The voice told me. I knew they weren't speaking to Laila because they had said demigod.

 **Tessa is a warlock and a Shadowhunter, something impossible in this world. We will tell the Clave that one of your parents was like her, and your other a mundane. We will tell them that neither ever knew of this. This will explain any accidental case of your power showing.** The voice told me.

"Alright." I said.

 **The Clave requested to see her after the evaluation. A portal will be opened to go to Idris as you leave here.** The voice said. I could tell it was directed at both of us this time.

I followed Laila back the way we came, and we found a swirling vortex waiting at the entrance. Laila took my hand and we stepped through. When we arrived, we were in a large room. There were a couple people up on the stage, along with a couple Silent Brothers. There were a lot of people sitting in the audience. Laila and i made our way to the front, and took seats with David, Aeric, and Lizzy. I ended up between David and Aeric.

We had to sit through the whole meeting apparently, before these people got to why they wanted to see me. The dull meeting lasted probably an hour, and I just kinda tuned it out.

* * *

Finally, they got onto the topic of what they wanted to see me for. "Whitney Warren Ashton, rise." The one who I'd figured out was called the Inquisitor said. I stood. The Silent Brothers must've gotten to them to tell them already.

"Please explain to us what the Silent Brothers told you." He said.

"Apparently, my mom was half warlock, half Shadowhunter. My dad was a mundane." I said, bored.

"Was?" The Inquisitor asked.

"They're both dead." I said with a shrug. It hurt a little to talk about them, this part being the truth. "Been that way since a couple days after I was born."

"Do you know the causes for their deaths?" The Inquisitor asked. Why were they asking these questions? They didn't need to know this.

"My mom had some form of one illness or another. My dad was poisoned. They died the same day." I said.

"Alright. Onto what we've decided to do with you." The Inquisitor said. "You will remain at the Brooklyn Institute, where you are currently residing. David Herondale, please rise."

David, with a confused look on his face, stood. "When the both of you reach eighteen in two years, you'll marry." The Inquisitor said.

"No." I said. David was silent, a shocked expression on his face.

"The Clave commands it. You are both powerful Shadowhunters." The Inquisitor said.

"I said no. I owe you no loyalty. I owe no loyalty to any Shadowhunter." I said. "The only loyalty I owe is to my family, my friends, and my home."

"You are a Shadowhunter, and you will follow the Clave's decrees." The Inquisitor said.

An older woman in the audience with flaming red hair shot out of her seat. She started yelling at the Inquisitor. "You will not force my grandson to do anything he doesn't want to! You already forced my daughter to give up one of her sons when he managed to get no Shadowhunter blood! You will not continue to break apart my family like this!" The man beside her stood as well, setting a hand on her shoulder. It didn't calm her down.

David turned to look at the both of them, breath catching. "My mother what?" He asked.

The woman's face softened. "Alexandria asked us not to tell you until you were older, but I guess it's out now. Your mother had twins, and when the Silent Brothers found he had no angel blood in him, the Clave forced her to give him up for adoption. A nice man in a wheelchair, he called himself Mr. Brunner, adopted him." She explained.

"Mr. Brunner?" I asked quietly. My knees buckled, but I didn't fall.

"Yes, though he never told us his first name." The woman said.

"I know Mr. Brunner. I've known him all my life, though I didn't move down until a couple years ago." I said, trying to put the pieces together. Then I realized. "David, your twin is my best friend." Dustin had told me how his mother had been unable to care for him, and he'd been put up for adoption. He'd told me how Chiron had seen he was a demigod, and immediately taken him to Camp, where he'd been claimed as a child of Apollo almost immediately. He'd told me how Chiron had practically raised him at camp, him having been a baby when he first arrived.

"Wait, what?" David asked, turning to face me.

 **Go and bring him here, child. Be sure he knows to tell no one of his godly side.** One of the Silent Brothers told me. I nodded and imagined myself back at camp.

* * *

I appeared on the porch of the big house, then began to check around Dustin and Andrea and I's usual hangouts. I finally found him at the edge of the forest. But what I saw made me stop. Dustin was making out with Anita, a girl from the Aphrodite cabin.

"Dustin," I called, voice void of emotion. "We need to go somewhere."

He turned around to see me, and was very surprised. Anita, on the other hand, just gave me a cruel look. "You're just jealous." She said airily. "You just want to take him away from me."

"No," I said, keeping all emotion from my voice and face. "We need to go because Dustin needs to meet his twin brother." Dustin fell backward off the log they were sitting on. Anita looked surprised.

After a moment, Dustin came over to me, and held out his hand. I grabbed his wrist, and imagined my cabin.

"Wait, what are we doing here?" Dustin asked.

"I need to explain something first, so you don't get us both killed." I said. "These people aren't demigods, and know nothing of our world. These people are descended from angels, and fight demons, and there are also some people who are Downworlders. Anyways, don't say a thing about the godly worlds. The Silent Brothers already covered up for me. Everyone thinks you're a normal mortal, though they call them mundanes. Your mother was forced to give you up because you somehow got none of their angel blood. My guess is it's because you got godly blood instead."

"What?" Dustin asked.

"Just don't say anything about the godly world, and don't use any godly related powers or anything. They can explain more." I told him. Then I imagined us back where I had been standing when I had gone.

"How did you do that?" The Inquisitor demanded.

"And here I thought the Silent Brothers already explained to you what I am?" I asked sarcastically, putting the act back up. "It's part of being my mother's child."

"Who is that?" The Inquisitor asked. I turned to David.

"David, this is your twin brother Dustin. Dustin, this is your twin brother David." I introduced them. They stared at each other. Looking at them, I realized they were identical twins. No wonder I had thought David was Dustin when I met him. But, based on the way he had dressed, I knew it wasn't.

"You brought a mundane into Idris, into Alicante?" The Inquisitor asked, taken aback by my behavior. I shrugged. He was about to say something, when the woman who had yelled at him before spoke.

"Oh, shut it. I'd like to meet my other grandson." She picked her way through the crowd, the man following behind her. They came over to us. The Inquisitor looked on angrily. Apparently, she held some power here.

"So, you're Alexandria's other child. I'm Clarissa Adele Herondale, her mother, but I prefer to go by Clary. It's wonderful to meet you. What's your name?" The woman asked, a soft smile on her face.

Dustin glanced at me. I nodded a little. "I'm Dustin." He said.

The man spoke this time. "I'm Jonathon Christopher Wayland Morgenstern Herondale, but I go by Jace." Clary punched him in the shoulder.

"He's just a Herondale." She corrected, giving him a small glare, which made him laugh.

* * *

 **He's a Herondale. Not a Wayland. Not a Lightwood. Not a Morgenstern. I feel like Jace would be the type to constantly joke about that, though.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	7. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl**_ _:_

"He's just a Herondale." She corrected, giving him a small glare, which made him laugh.

* * *

"You've met your grandson, Clarissa Morgenstern. Now, may we get back to the topic at hand?" The Inquisitor asked. She got an angry expression on her face.

"One, I have proved time and time again I am not my father nor my brother; and two, my name is Herondale." Clary said. The Inquisitor waved a hand dismissively. Both David and Jace set a hand on each of her arms, trying to calm her.

"Now, when the Clave decrees something, it must be followed." The Inquisitor started.

David finally spoke. "I won't do it." He said.

"That is not your choice." The Inquisitor said.

"I'm not doing it, either." I said.

"I knew the Clave was messed up, especially in their prejudices against Downworlders, but seriously, what in the angel's name is wrong with you?" Clary asked.

"What are you guys talking about?" Dustin asked quietly. "What's he trying to make you do, Whit?" I didn't answer.

"The Clave feels this the best course of action." The Inquisitor said.

"You want another trophy Shadowhunter like you made me out to be, don't you?" Jace asked. The room was silent. "I think you've had enough to do with our family, and need to stay out of it. We've done so much for you, and you've done little to nothing for us."

"This matter is closed for discussion. When they turn eighteen, they will marry." The Inquisitor said.

"Don't you think that that'd be a little awkward?" I called. "I mean, I don't know how he swings, but I'm not just a girl."

"What are speaking about, child?" The Inquisitor asked.

"I'm just saying it might be a little awkward. I'm mostly female, yeah, but I'm a good bit male, and a good bit disconnected from the idea of gender itself. I'm a demigirl." I said. I couldn't believe I'd just come out to an entire room that held multiple hundreds of people.

"It's all in your head. You are a female, as you were undoubtedly born." The Inquisitor said.

I started to get really angry. First, they think they can tell me what to do. Then, they tell me what I am. None of it was their decision.

The room started to shake. Everyone began looking around as the quake picked up in intensity. Someone screamed. I barely noticed a ring of fire spring up around my feet. I barely noticed anything at all.

 **You must stop this, child. It will only make the Clave angrier.** A voice spoke in my head. I couldn't find it in me to make it stop.

I felt arms wrap around me, and then Dustin was whispering in my ear. "Calm down, Whit. They can't make you do anything. We can go back to camp and leave all this behind. It's okay, they can't force you, and who cares what they say? They can't tell you who you are. Only you can decide that. It's okay, calm down." I started crying as the shaking stopped and the fire went out. Dustin just stood there and held me.

"You will do what the Clave commands, or you will be thrown in prison." The Inquisitor said with a note of finality in his tone, and then he turned and walked off the stage. I cried harder.

I barely noticed as I was led out of the room, through a portal to the Brooklyn Institute, and then up to my room. Quinn had had to stay, so when I was brought into my room, crying, she immediately ran over.

"What's wrong, Whit?" Quinn asked.

"Nothing. It's fine." I told her. Dustin gave me a look, and I gave him a glare that said I was not going to talk about it in front of the eight year old. "Quinn, why don't we go bring you to your sister, now? I bet we both could use some fresh air."

"I can't wait to meet Nikita!" Quinn exclaimed, bouncing up and down. I smiled, wiped away the rest of the tears, took her hand, and walked out of the room. Dustin stayed behind.

As I was nearing the front door, I ran into Laila. "Where are you going?" She asked curiously.

"I'm bringing Quinn to her sister. I didn't get a chance to, before. And right now, I think I could use some fresh air." I said.

Laila smiled sadly. "Alright. Hurry back." She said. I nodded and left with Quinn.

* * *

When we were a couple blocks away, I imagined the both of us in New Rome. Nikita and Cypress were supposed to have gone back after dinner.

We appeared in Cypress and Nikita's living room. "Nikita!" I called. "Cypress!"

They both came into the room moments later, from different rooms. "Oh!" Nikita said. "Quinn." Nikita came over and hugged her sister tight. Cypress watched with a smile.

"Hi!" Quinn said excitedly.

"Hi." Nikita said. She looked up at me. "Whit- Wait, were you crying?"

"No." I said, looking away.

"Whit." Nikita said.

"I've got to get back. I'll IM later." I said. And then I was gone.

* * *

I appeared in the front hall of the Institute. David and Dustin were nearby, talking. Dustin stopped when he saw me, and came over to me. David silently went to another room.

"Whit, about earlier-" Dustin started, but I cut him off.

"How long have you been going out with her?" I asked quietly.

"A month." Dustin said softly.

"And when were you going to tell me?" I asked. "Does Andrea even know?"

"Andrea knows." Dustin said.

"So you'll tell one best friend, but not the other." I said with a disbelieving sigh.

"She knows because she's been around more than you. Whit, you haven't even been at camp for at least a third of the past month!" David exclaimed.

"What, I'm supposed to spend every moment at camp?" I asked, voice raising. "I'm not allowed to visit my family? Dustin, you know it was hard for me to live so far away from them! You might not have had a family to visit, but I do, and sometimes, I want to spend some time with them!"

"Whit, I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Dustin said.

"Really doesn't change the fact that you didn't." I said.

"Anita said you would react like this." Dustin said.

"Like what?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Jealously." Dustin replied. I slapped him across the face.

"I am not jealous, Dustin, I am angry. Angry that you kept something big like this from me for so long when I tell you everything! Every. Damn. Thing!" I told him.

"Like you haven't ever kept things from me." Dustin said.

"What are you talking about? Dustin, I tell you everything!" I said.

"Really? Because before today, I never once heard you say anything about being anything other than cis." Dustin said.

"You're upset about that?" I asked incredulously. "Dustin, before today, I've only ever told three people. First, my aunt Lydia and her ex wife Laura. I thought, you know, they're LGBT+, they'll understand. And then I told Brady, and I thought, hey, he's got two moms and I grew up next door to him, doing everything with him, he'll have to understand."

"So you didn't trust Andrea and I?" Dustin asked. He sounded a little mad, but this was nothing for him to be mad about.

"I do trust you guys. I was just worrying about telling you, because I didn't know how you guys would feel about it. I mean, I'm not even comfortable telling all of my cousins yet, and we've practically grown up alongside each other." I said.

"Yet you told a room of hundreds of people." Dustin said.

"They're trying to force me into a marriage with your brother! Dustin, what did you want me to do? I didn't know what to say, so I said that!" I exclaimed.

"I just wish you had told us." Dustin said.

"Dustin, this is nothing like you hiding your relationship from me! Telling people about myself and my realizations is something I have been genuinely afraid of for a while now! Have you met some of the people at Camp? If they knew, they'd take every Friday night as a chance to 'accidentally' kill me!" I said. "And you know what? I couldn't be happier that you've finally found yourself a girlfriend, because I'm happy for you if you're happy. I'm just angry because you didn't tell me! Because the specific person you are dating is _her_!" I told him. Trying to emphasize her, I said the word in Ancient Greek.

"What's wrong with Anita?" Dustin asked.

"Everything, Dustin! Everything is wrong with that girl! She hates my guts, she hates Andrea. She's cruel, she's mean, and she's threatened us both before! Have you never noticed?" I asked. Dustin didn't answer. "She insults Andrea and I, a lot."

Dustin was watching my face now. "She gets at Andrea about her looks, about her hair, her face, her body. Things she knows Andrea worries about. She gets on her about how she'll never find someone to love her when she's so ugly." I explained. My voice cracked, and I began to try and keep the tears away as I continued. "And I try, I try to tell Andrea not to listen to her, that's she such a beautiful girl and doesn't realize it. But you know Andrea. You know she's got self esteem issues. And she won't listen to me sometimes." A tear fell.

"What does she insult you about?" Dustin asked quietly.

"She gets on me about my family. Says people at camp only like me because my mother was a hero. Insults my dead parents. Says things about my cousins and my aunts and uncles, only shutting up about it when one of said adults is visiting. I don't tell them, of course, none of it's true." I said. Another tear fell.

"Does she say anything else specifically about you?" Dustin asked quietly.

"Yeah. And I don't know if it was part of her cabin's thing that they've got going on, but she figured it out. She figured out that I'm a demigirl and that I'm pansexual, and do you want to know what she constantly threatens to do, just to see me flinch, just to show that she's got power over me? She likes to threaten to tell everyone, Dustin. And she threatens to tell about- about-" I couldn't continue. Another tear fell.

"About what?" Dustin asked.

"I can't- I can't tell you." I said, looking away.

"Whitney, please. Don't let there be any more secrets between us. Please." Dustin said. He sounded close to tears as well.

Not looking at him, I choked out the answer. "She threatens to tell everyone about how I like you. Like, I like you alot."

"What?" Dustin asked.

"I know, it's just a stupid crush-" I started, but Dustin cut me off.

"Not that, what. She lied to me, what." Dustin said.

"What?" I asked, looking at him.

"She said if I dated her, it would make you jealous." Dustin said quietly.

"You wanted me to be jealous?" I asked.

"Um... Yeah?" Dustin said sheepishly. It came out more as a question than a statement.

"Why?" I asked. He didn't answer, looking down at the ground. "Dustin?"

"Because I love you, Whit!" Dustin blurted. Then he spoke in a calmer tone. "I have ever since before I met you. Since before we became friends, before you moved down and we got a lot closer."

I was stunned. I'd always loved Dustin, but he loved me too?

"How about we don't keep secrets next time, alright?" I asked softly.

"I think that that is the best course of action." Dustin agreed. I leaned forward and hugged him tightly. He hugged me back before letting go.

There was a moment of silence. Then Dustin spoke. "I need to go IM Anita."

"Go up to my room, lock the doors. There's an attached bathroom, and my bag is on the bed. There should be a couple drachmae in my wallet." I told him. I gave him directions, and he nodded and left.

I let out a sigh and leaned on the wall. A couple minutes later, David came into the entry hall. He leaned on the wall across from me. "Did you guys work things out?" He asked.

"Yeah, with a bit of yelling." I said wearily. That had taken more out of me than I'd like to admit.

"That's good." David said. There came a knock at the door, and he went over to see who it was.

"I'm looking for- Dustin?" A voice asked. I joined David by the door, stepping past him when I saw who it was.

"That's David." I told Brady. "And, what did they do to you?" I started to laugh. My cousin glared at me.

"Because I could technically stay in that cabin, they decided that they could make the decision to give me a makeover. Even if I was very averse to it. Which I was." Brady explained. I laughed again. "Some guy named Henry and some girl named Anita did it."

I immediately froze. "I'm going to kill Anita." I declared.

"Why?" Brady asked.

"She knows she's supposed to stay away from my family." I said. "Last time she tried to do that to Hayden, let's just say, she was not happy with me."

"Hayden told me about that." Brady said. "You threw her entire wardrobe and all of her makeup in the lake."

"Those girls would practically die without their makeup. Except for a couple of them, but most of them." I said.

"Well, Anita doesn't seem that bad." Brady offered.

"Brady. Trust me on this. That girl is a bitch. You need to stay far away from her." I told him solemnly. He seemed to notice the pain in my eyes.

"But I thought Dustin was dating her?" Brady asked.

"He is. Or was." I said.

"That's why you don't like her?" Brady asked. He was newer to camp, so I understood all of his questions.

"No, Brady. I hate her. I hate her because she's cruel and she's a bully." I said. "Now, how and why are you here?"

"Your iPod has a tracking feature. You didn't show, and we were worried. Hayden looked up where you were, and I ran here." Brady told me.

"Brady?" Dustin asked from the doorway. David was standing silently beside the door, watching.

"Yeah." Brady replied. He looked back to me to finish answering my question. "It's Rachel."

"Oh my gods. What happened? Who did she speak to?" Dustin asked.

"Andrea." Brady answered.

"What did she say to Rea?" I asked.

"That would be best shared back at camp." Brady said carefully, glancing at David.

I turned and spoke to David. "Tell Laila we'll be back soon. We've got an emergency to attend to." I said. He nodded. I imagined myself in my room, grabbed my bag, and then was back outside. I took Dustin and Brady's hands, and we were on the porch of the Big House.

* * *

I went immediately to the war council room. I knew that Chiron would gather counselors there, were a prophecy to ever happen. None had happened in my lifetime before now.

I took my seat as head of my cabin, as only of my cabin, the Primordial cabin. It used to be Nikita's cabin, but my mother's mother, Physis, had redone it for me. Dustin took a seat beside me, as head of the Apollo cabin. Brady didn't stick around for the meeting. I don't know whether he wanted to or not.

"Now that we've all gathered, it is time to begin this council meeting." Chiron started. "Andrea, the prophecy."

Andrea, sitting on the other side of Dustin, spoke.

"Child of demigods, descended of rainbow and nature

Journey to the land that is to the gods unknown

Where the demon towers stand tall to protect

Perform the ceremony you so bemoan

Son of Apollo, twin separated at birth

To the City of Bones you must go away

Learn more of your blood and heritage

With your brother you must stay

To this other world you must travel

Keep them from initiating war

Unite the angels and gods

Or this Earth is done for."

I broke the silence by standing abruptly, my folding chair making a harsh noise against the wooden floor. I didn't say anything, but the tears threatened to fall.

"Whitney?" Chiron asked.

"No." I said. "No."

Dustin set a hand on my wrist and gently pulled me back down into my chair. "They can't make me do it. I won't. I won't!" I said.

"Whit, you're going to have to tell them the things you told me." Dustin said quietly.

I looked up at Chiron. "There's a world out there, completely unrelated to the gods. They've got angels that don't come down like the gods do. They're half angel warriors who fight demons to protect the mortals, who they call mundanes. They've also got warlocks, fae, werewolves, and vampires, all of which they call Downworlders." I explained.

"And I am to assume you know what this prophecy entails?" Chiron asked.

"The land is that country Laila told me about before we visited. Idris. The demon towers protect Alicante, the glass city, which is basically the capital. And the City of Bones, I've been there, too. Real creepy place. The Silent Brothers are there. They knew I was a demigod right away, but didn't tell. They covered up for me, using this really rare occurrence to explain my powers, after they thought I was one of their Shadowhunter. Apparently this has only happened once before, and the special powers fade out within the generations." I explained.

"Twin separated at birth?" Chiron asked, looking to Dustin.

"David got angel blood, I got godly. The leaders of this world apparently made my mom give me up. They thought I was a normal mortal." Dustin said uncomfortably. "When Whit realized and brought me over, I met my brother and my mom's parents."

"And this ceremony?" Chiron asked. The rest of the demigods were listening intently, trying to piece together what was going on.

I brought my knees up to my chest on the chair, and hugged them close. I rested my chin on my knees. "I'm not doing it. I don't care about what the prophecy says. It's not happening." I said quietly.

"What aren't you going to do?" Chiron asked gently.

"I'm not marrying anyone. That's my choice. Not theirs. And they can't throw me in prison if I refuse, either. I'll find a way out." I said, quiet enough for only Chiron, Dustin, and Andrea to hear. No one else needed to know.

"What?" Chiron asked.

"I overheard Lizzy a little when we got back to the Institute. Even with their cup, which they only got back two generations ago, it's going to take them awhile to build up their race again. Especially after that whole war that turned so many of them into dark creatures and then killed so many more." I started. "Apparently, they're also freaking insane."

There was silence for a few moments. Then a camper spoke. "Who are you going to bring as your third camper?"

Dustin glanced at me. I nodded. "Andrea." Dustin said. She smiled slightly.

"Alright. You three may go pack and head off for your quest." Chiron said. I stood from my chair and left the room. Dustin and Andrea followed as campers started to exit the room as well.

"Whit, meet us back at Half-blood Hill, okay?" Dustin said quietly. I nodded, and was gone to my cabin within a moment.

* * *

 **PROPHECIES ARE DUMB, YO.**

 **Who wishes the Spirit of the Oracle of Delphi could keep her mouth shut once in awhile? *Raises hand***

 **Also guess who stayed home from school yesterday because she found a deer tick half buried in her face when she got up in the morning? It's ya girl! That'll be the last time Sadie's in my bed until the dead of winter, even though those things should all be dead by now, anyways, ugh. (I'm the only one who lets my dog in their bed and so she likes to come in and lay there while I'm on my laptop. She must've gone running off through the woods again, usually we're pretty good about keeping her out of there, but ticks occasionally get into the house.) It didn't hurt physically to have it pulled out, so much as it hurt psychologically. I couldn't stop crying because it freaked me out so much. And I made my mom strip my bed and wash my blankets, plus I stayed out of my room until like eight last night, after getting up around five thirty. So that was fun. I'd already been feeling sorta gross and sick, and was going to go to school, but after that, they let me stay home. I parked myself on the couch and played Horizon Zero Dawn literally all day. Th only part that sucks is that I had to make up an algebra quiz today, so I couldn't follow along with the new notes, but my friends let me copy theirs so that I could do the homework.**

 **Well that was long and kinda mostly bad news, but in other, better news, my sister turned sixteen today! It's kinda weird for me to think about, because I'm used to being the oldest, by a full year, at the very least, as my youngest stepsister is three years younger and my brother is twenty months younger, but now that I've got my older stepsister, she's only five months younger than me. (Grew up between mom and dad with my full-blooded brother always with me, and three years younger stepsister at dad's house. Just before I started highschool, stepsister at mom's house moved in from halfway across the country, instead of living with her mother for highschool.) But, on the bright side, she liked the socks I got her from Newbury Comics. (She loves their socks, they had a sale, and I found three pairs that were absolutely perfect for her. Also scored myself a sweet pair depicting honey badgers holding bunches of honeysuckles.)**

 **Yeah, that was a lot. Sorry for the ramble, hope everyone had a good day and that anyone able to went to vote! I'm only sixteen, so I couldn't, but I should be able to vote in 2020.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	8. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

When I got to my cabin, I began to pack up some things. I packed all of my birthday gifts from my family into my pink bag with everything I'd already had in it. I packed a week and a half's worth of clothing into a backpack, and added a couple different pairs of shoes. I'm not quite sure how I made it all fit. I packed a couple things like my hairbrush and my toothbrush.

I was about to leave the cabin when I realized I'd forgotten something. I went over to my bed and gently picked up Dakota's blue zebra. I wasn't going to forget that.

I scanned my bedroom for anything else I might want. Nope. I had everything. With a sigh, I appeared at Half-blood Hill.

It took Dustin and Andrea a little while longer to get there. I sat down on the ground and leaned on Thalia's pine. She had once offered me a chance to join the hunt. I should've taken it when I could, instead of hoping for a chance to be with Dustin. I didn't realize I was crying until a tear fell onto the back of the hand that was holding Dakota's zebra like it would save my life or something.

* * *

Dustin and Andrea arrived a few minutes later. Andrea saw my tears, and was, accordingly, surprised. I'd cried in front of her before, but very rarely. "Whit?" She asked.

"Two years. That's how long they said. I don't want to be trapped for that long. I don't want to be trapped forever after that long. I don't want to be trapped, period." I said.

"We'll figure something out, Whit." Dustin told me.

"You don't know that, Dustin. You can't say that." I told him. "Now, are you guys ready?" They held out their hands and I took them, careful not to drop the stuffed zebra that seemed to be holding me together at the moment.

* * *

When we appeared on the steps of the Institute, I knocked on the door. Lizzy answered. "You're back! Thank Raziel. David said you would be, but we worried a bit." She opened the door wide to allow us in.

"I hope you don't mind we brought along our other best friend. We just... Needed someone else here we could really talk to, someone else we knew well enough to be there for us right now." I explained.

"Of course! Besides, we Brooklyn Institute inhabitants have been breaking the rules for three generations, now." Lizzy said. "Let's get you two rooms set up."

My room was situated next to David's. Lizzy put Andrea and Dustin in the two empty rooms across the hall. "I'll go tell Mom you're back. She wanted to talk to you, since she didn't get a chance, earlier." Lizzy said. I nodded.

The three of us went into my room. We set our stuff down, and sat down on my bed to wait for Lizzy. She came back a few minutes later.

"You ready to talk to Mom?" She asked.

"Yeah." I said, getting up. I followed Lizzy, and Dustin and Andrea followed me.

We went to a large office. Laila was sitting at a desk across the room. She gestured to a couple chairs in front of her desk and we sat down. Lizzy left the room. "Hi, Laila." I said quietly.

"Hi." She said. "Has your emergency been resolved?"

"Yeah." I said.

"If I may ask, what happened?" Laila asked.

"It's a bit personal to the girl involved, as well as us, so I'd rather not say." I said slowly.

"Alright. Well, we never got the chance to talk after the meeting, earlier." Laila started.

"I don't even know what there is to talk about. It's plain and simple. If I don't do what they want, they'll throw me in prison." I stated.

"Certain things can be done. Clary and Jace, they're working on the Clave, trying to get them to change their mind, but it doesn't look like that'll be happening. The Clave is actually thinking of moving it up from two years to possibly a couple weeks. But you had a place to stay before, right?" Laila explained.

"I did." I said.

"And you could go back. You don't have to stay here, Whit. You can disappear. They might try to look for you, but I have no doubt that you could stay hidden if you really wanted to." Laila said.

"I can't." I told her. "I have to stay here."

"But you don't have to. Us residents are willing to cover up for you. You don't have to live under the Clave's law. You never have before now." Laila said.

I looked to Dustin and Andrea, silently asking them whether to tell her or not. Both of them gave me small nods.

I took a deep breath and looked back at Laila. "I can't, because this is our quest. And we have to stay."

"Quest?" Laila asked.

"The Silent Brothers covered for me. Like they did for Dustin when he was born. Someone with godly blood isn't meant to grow up among those with angel blood." I started. "I'm not a Shadowhunter, I'm not a warlock. I'm the legacy of two Greek gods. My father was a demigod, my mother one of the only two demiprimordials to live to her teens, my godmother being the other and still alive. Dustin is a demigod, as is Andrea. Neither of them are mortals."

"This is surprising news. But not so far fetched. I'm assuming your world is based in Manhattan? And that that is where all the odd events we cannot explain seem to happen?" Laila asked.

"The Greek camp for demigods is. The Roman camp is in San Francisco, as is New Rome. Mount Olympus is above the Empire State Building." I explained.

"Well, then, tell me more about yourselves." Laila said, leaning back in her chair.

"I'm a daughter of Hypnos." Andrea said.

"I'm a son of Apollo. We figured that David must've gotten angel blood, while I got godly." Dustin explained.

"And I'm not a demigod, I'm a legacy. I'm descended from gods, but not the child of one. My mother was the daughter of the Primordial goddess Physis. Primordial of nature. My father was the son of Iris, goddess of rainbows and communication." I explained.

"So, what's this about a quest?" Laila asked.

"Rachel hosts the Spirit of the Oracle of Delphi. We call her the Oracle for short. She gave a prophecy. And when that happens, a quest is sent out." I started.

Andrea continued. "I was the only one around when she gave the prophecy. I think she came to me because I'm so close to them, and she couldn't find them." She pointed to us. "I went to Chiron immediately, after helping up Rachel. She usually passes out after a prophecy, not that she's had very many. They're supposed to be rare. Chiron sent Brady to go find his cousin, because Hayden was able to track her through the iPod he gave her. They got back, we held a war council, and they chose me to come along for their quest. Quests always go out in threes, except for the whole thing with the Seven, but that's not a story for now."

"And this prophecy?" Laila asked.

I took a deep breath and recited the prophecy to Laila.

"Child of demigods, descended of color and nature

Journey to the land that is to the gods unknown

Where the demon towers stand tall to protect

Perform the ceremony you so bemoan

Son of Apollo, twin separated at birth

To the City of Bones you must go away

Learn more of your blood and heritage

With your twin brother you must stay

To this other world you must travel

Keep them from initiating war

Unite the angels and gods

Or this Earth is done for."

"It seems we need to bring you to Idris. And Dustin to the Silent City, likely to speak to the Silent Brothers and learn more about Alexandria." Laila observed.

"And I have to go through with the wedding. Or something very bad is going to happen." I said quietly.

"It would seem so." Laila said. She looked about to say something else when there was a small burst of fire in the air in front of her, and a rolled up paper fell onto her desk. She picked it up and read it. She looked up. "It seems the Clave is requesting the presence of the residents of the Brooklyn Institute. We've got to go to Alicante again. Dustin, you can take this as a chance to speak to the Silent Brothers. Andrea, it would be best if you went with him. The Clave was none too pleased when Whit brought who they thought a mundane into the glass city."

"Alright." I said, standing. "Do we need to bring anything?"

"You shouldn't need anything." Laila responded, also standing.

We followed her to the living room, and then waited there while she rounded up her children and David. Then we all went outside, where a woman with green skin was waiting. She opened a portal for us.

* * *

We portaled to the same room the meeting had previously been held in. Laila sent Dustin and Andrea off with a Silent Brother, while we had to wait another few minutes for the Inquisitor to come and speak to us. I sat down on a chair and turned so that I could put my legs out on another. I closed my eyes as I sat there waiting.

Someone cleared their throat a few minutes later. I opened my eyes to see the Inquisitor standing nearby. I didn't move to get up, even though it seemed he was waiting for me to do exactly that. Finally, he spoke. "And you are all here?"

"Yes, Inquisitor Whitelaw. Every Brooklyn Institute resident is here." Laila said.

"We wish to inform you that we've moved up the date of the wedding. The date has been set as November thirtieth, today being the twenty-first." The Inquisitor said.

"But they're only sixteen!" Laila protested. I was silent.

"And they are old enough. We also wish to inform you that the residents of the Brooklyn Institute will be staying in Idris for the time being, until the wedding. You may go back to collect some belongings, but then you will return here. You may stay in the Herondale Manor, as Clarissa and Jonathon have so generously offered." The Inquisitor said. Before Laila could protest, he turned and walked away.

"Well, I'll get Dustin and Andrea's things for them. They just brought backpacks. And I've got my backpack and a drawstring bag." I said, standing up. "Now, everyone hold hands." I instructed. They did so, and we formed a small circle. Moments later, we were in the Institute. I let go of them, and was up in my room.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder, and grabbed my pink bag and the zebra. Then I went into Dustin and Andrea's rooms, grabbing their backpacks and slinging them over the other arm. Then I was downstairs.

David was the first one downstairs, carrying a backpack. He wordlessly took one of the bags, to help me carry them. He glanced at the blue zebra, but didn't say anything. I realized I was clutching it tightly again, but didn't try to relax my grip.

Lizzy and Aeric were soon downstairs, and Laila followed soon after. We went outside, where the same woman as before opened a portal for us.

* * *

The portal led us to just outside the front door of a huge mansion. Well, then. Herondale Manor was beautiful.

We went inside, where Clary and Jace were waiting in the entryway. "We've got rooms all set up for you guys upstairs. Your two friends, too. They'll be coming later." Clary said. She and Jace showed us upstairs to two hallways of rooms.

"You can choose any room in these two halls. They're all ready to use." Jace told us.

"We'll be downstairs if you need anything." Clary said, and they went downstairs.

I went to the farthest room down the hall. I set my stuff down in front of the room, then set Andrea's bag in front of the room next to mine. David set Dustin's backpack in front of the room across from the one I had set Andrea's stuff in front of.

I picked my stuff up again and went into my room. It was a pretty room. The walls were painted a white color, and the floor was a dark hardwood. The bed was a four poster bed made of a dark colored wood. The comforter and pillows on the bed were dark blue. On one wall, there was a door, likely leading to a bathroom. On the other wall, there was a door, likely for a closet, as well as a dark colored dresser and a white vanity with a stool. A light blue bean bag sat in one corner.

I set my bags down on the bed and began to unpack. I put my clothes in the dresser, the shoes over by the door to the hall. I put the now empty backpack on the floor of the closet.

Next, I began to unpack the drawstring bag. The zebra went on top of the pillows. The photo album and the twisted glass sculpture from Brady on the nightstand. The gift from Orianne went in the same drawer as my undergarments. The little jewelry box, my camera, and the box of film went on top of the dresser. My wallet, earbuds, iPod, and concert tickets went in the single drawer on the nightstand. I put Dakota's crown and the Blackmeadow Range hat on the two posts at the foot of the bed. I threw the empty bag with the other on the closet floor.

Now done unpacking, I laid down on the bed and picked up my photo album. I flipped open to the inside front cover, and began reading through the birthday card again.

 _Happy sixteenth. You've become a wonderful young adult. - Mika_

 _Sixteenth birthday, already. Seems just yesterday you were a bouncing young child who loved to visit the family and run around with your cousins. Guess time flies when you're having fun, huh? - Liam_

 _Happy sixteenth birthday. You're growing up too fast. Stop it. Please. It's been great raising you, though. - Jay_

 _I was much like you when I was your age. I had the same sort of mindset. Keep on the way you are, stay true to yourself, and every little thing will be alright. - Samuel_

 _It wasn't too long ago that I was your age. Hell, I'm only just over double your age. I remember being sixteen. It's a lot of fun. But it can be hard, sometimes, too. It was a great opportunity, being able to help raise you with Jay. Just remember that if you need anything, you can come to us. - Maddie_

 _What a wonderful person you've become. I'm still surprised, sometimes, that Lyric decided to name you after me. But I've seen that you're a lot like her in some ways. One of those ways being that you both always seem to have some sort of reason behind everything you do. It's a good trait to have. Keep it. - Whitney_

 _Sixteen. I've loved every moment of being your godmother, and then your aunt when your grandmother married my father. I've loved every moment I've spent with you. - Chelsey_

 _I almost didn't believe it at first when you were first introduced to me. All I knew was my best friend and my brother sudden had a baby out of nowhere. But my reaction was actually to say 'You two make a perfect couple.' I had already had the Greek world explained to me, though not by either of them. It wasn't such a stretch to believe that the cute little baby was really theirs. Especially with the look of love on Lyric's face and the protective look on Kiernan's face. - Lydia_

 _Happy sixteenth, Whit. I've watched you growing up into the person you are now, and it's been one hell of a life. I'll never understand it, how you all do it with the supernatural sides. But that's fine. I don't need to. As long as you guys do. - Aaron_

 _Happy birthday, Whitney. Sixteen is a big milestone. Especially for one of your stature. You're powerful. Just don't forget about the normal life for the supernatural one. Or vice versa. - Cypress_

 _Wow. Watching your neighbor, your family member, grow up is an experience all to its own category. You get to be there for a lot of the ups and downs. I'm glad to have been there. Happy birthday. - Cole_

 _I was only seven when you were born. I remember that Orianne and I immediately loved you, and always wanted to be around you. And, as I've grown up, I've kept loving being around you. You're genuinely a fun person to be around. Happy birthday, Whitney. Stay fun. - Mason_

 _I was there for your birth, I was the one who helped Lyric to deliver her baby. I was the only one down there with her when we were taken. But she was strong, and she got through the pain, and she delivered her baby. You're just like her. You're strong, and you can get through anything. Happy sixteenth, Whitney. - Nikita_

 _Happy b-day! You are six ten! Yay! - Love, Dakota_

 _Happy birthday, Whitney. Even if I am seven years older than you, same age as your youngest uncle, (weird, huh?), you've always been more like a sibling to me. I think all of us cousins,even though Sage and I aren't your direct cousins, have always been like siblings. And I love that. I love that relationship that we all have. I don't know what I'd do without you, Whit. - Orianne_

 _Hey, cuz. You're sixteen. Congrats. Thanks for always being there for all of us when we needed it. We'll always be there for you when you need it. You can count on it. - Bailey_

 _Happy birthday, Whit. Happy sixteenth. You've always been such a great cousin to me, more than a cousin, a sibling, really. You helped me when I was having trouble at school. You helped me at camp when I couldn't figure out how to use my powers as a legacy of Hecate. I'll always be grateful for that. Thank you. - Hayden_

 _I know I didn't see you during the weeks and things like most of our other cousins did growing up, but I saw you often enough to be as close to you as them. And that made us all pretty damn close. It's like we were all born with the same set of parents, except not, because that would be a bit weird. Especially since we don't all look alike. But thanks for always being there. Happy sixteenth birthday, Whitney. - Sage_

 _Hey, cousin. You're sixteen. I'll be the same next month. I just wanted to say thanks. For everything. You've helped us all out, stood up for all of us, protected all of us. (Especially because you feel the need to because you're basically the oldest, Orianne being the exception, though she can't be around as much.) I wanted to say I really appreciate it. I appreciate when you helped though that time in my life when I was struggling with the fact that I was adopted. When I was struggling with the fact that my birth parents were not there for me. Both of us know how that feels, and it's not fun. You also helped me when the people at school all made fun of me. You helped me through a lot of things. Thank you. And, since we basically live as neighbors, you've become practically my best friend. I just wanted to thank you. Thank you and happy birthday, Whit. - Brady_

I flipped to the first page of photos, and began looking through. The last photo, the one I'd taken of my cousins from the hay bales, brought a smile to my face.

I closed the photo album and hugged to to my chest for who knows how long.

* * *

 **I don't even remember where I got the idea for the photo album with all those pictures of her parents. Was it when I was looking through my old album of pictures from when I was like six or seven?**

 **Happy early Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope your holidays go well and you don't have to deal with racist, sexist, or homophobic family members! I'm glad to be spending my Thanksgiving up in Ohio with my stepdad's family. Can't wait to see my little two year old cousin when they get to the house late this afternoon, though we're headed to the mall and probably won't see them until closer to evening.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	9. Chapter 8

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

Someone entered the room, and asked "Are you okay?" It was Andrea.

"I'm fine. Stressed the fuck out, and a bunch of other stuff, but fine." I said. "I was just looking through this."

"What do you mean?" Andrea asked, coming over and sitting beside me as I sat up to lean on the headboard. I wordlessly handed her the photo album. She looked at the card and flipped through the photos, realization dawning in her eyes. She handed it back, and I set it back on the nightstand.

Dustin entered the room, and came over, sitting at the foot of the bed. "Alright, now that all three of us are together, Andrea and I have gifts for you." He announced. I looked at them, confused.

"We didn't get to give them to you on your birthday, or the day after, when we had planned." Andrea said, handing me a wrapped gift from behind her back. I accepted it, and opened it.

It was a Streetlight Manifesto sweatshirt. It was black, with the band's name printed across the center, in the way of the band's white and red logo. It was a size larger than I normally wore, which was perfect, because I loved huge sweaters and sweatshirts.

"Thank you." I said, hugging Andrea.

"You're welcome." She said, hugging me back.

"And now, here is my gift." Dustin said, handing me a wrapped package. I opened it to find a pair of earrings, modeled after little streetlights, after the tops, where the lights were. I laughed and hugged him.

"Thanks." I said.

"You are very welcome." He told me.

I got up and out the earrings in the little jewelry box, and put the sweatshirt in the closet. I also took off my leather jacket and put that in the closet.

"So, since this wonderful ska punk slash punk rock band is the topic at hand, I have a question for you two." I said, turning around from the closet to face them. "Want to go to a concert with me?"

"Concert?" Andrea asked.

"Got three tickets for a concert in Boston for my birthday." I told them.

"We'd love to go with you. Unlike everyone we know, we like your taste in music." Dustin said.

"Yay." I clapped my hands together.

"So," Andrea asked, "plans for the day?"

"I've got no idea what's around here." I said with a shrug.

"We could ask Clary and Jace." Dustin suggested.

"Yeah, let's go find them. They can tell us what there is to do around here." I agreed. I grabbed my camera, slung the case across my chest like a purse, and we exited the room.

* * *

We just kinda walked around aimlessly until we ended up finding them in a sitting room. Clary looked up from her seat on the couch with a book when we entered. Jace was sitting at a piano, playing a classical song.

"What's up, guys?" Clary asked.

"We were just wondering what there is to do around here. We don't know the place." Dustin said.

"Well, there are stables if you want to go riding. There's an apple orchard somewhere on the grounds." Clary suggested.

"Kinda sounds like Blackmeadow Range." I said.

"Blackmeadow Range?" Clary asked.

"My family's farm. My great uncle and his wife own the place, and they live there with their son, Sage. Orianne moved out four or so years ago, she's twenty three. They're not direct cousins with me, but we all consider ourselves to be. It's easier than saying 'Cousins and these two who are cousins with our parents.' And Sage is a bit younger than me, anyway. Other than Orianne, I'm the oldest." I explained with a shrug.

"Sounds confusing." Clary admitted.

"It is, a bit." I laughed.

"Now, about your problem with not knowing what to do. Why don't you go down to the Apple orchard and pick some apples and bring them back for me? I can cook them into something for tonight." Clary suggested.

"It's winter." I commented.

"You might not have noticed when you came to Idris. It's not winter here, like it might be elsewhere. We don't see much change in weather or season." Clary told us.

"Sounds fun." Andrea said.

"There should be baskets by the front door." Clary told us.

"Alright. We'll be back, but with apples." Dustin said.

* * *

We eventually found our way down to the front door. There were two large wicker baskets, the insides lined with a soft fabric. Andrea and Dustin grabbed them, and we headed outside to go find the orchard.

When we finally made it to the orchard, I was the first to climb a tree. We took turns climbing them, talking and laughing as we went. I also occasionally took pictures, either from the ground or the tree or another tree as they were in. I even got a picture of Andrea throwing an apple at me from her place in a tree beside mine. Moments after the picture, the apple bounced off my forehead. She laughed.

When we had filled the baskets, we walked back to the manor. When we got inside, we managed to find the kitchen pretty easily.

"I come bearing apples!" Dustin announced as we entered. Clary turned around to see us and laughed. He set the baskets on the counter.

"Well, dinner will be ready soon, and I'll get these going. You three might want to go wash up. You're a bit dirty." She told us. That was an understatement. I, at least, had twigs and leaves in my hair, grass stains on my jeans, and dirt and sap on my hands and arms.

* * *

I went up to my room to take a shower. I found some comfortable pajamas in the dresser, and grabbed plain cotton undergarments. I brought them into the bathroom with me, setting them on the sink counter.

I took a long, hot shower. It felt really good. When I was done, I got dressed.

The shirt I was wearing was an oversized band t-shirt, which meant it hung a little off of one shoulder, and reached down to the middle of my thighs. It was a Dropkick Murphys t-shirt, featuring the band's skeleton piper on the front, as well as their name. The back said 'It's so lonely round the Fields of Athenry.' I paired this with a thin, white pair of pajama pants printed with little blue penguins.

There came a knock on the door to the bathroom. "Yeah?" I asked.

"Dinner's ready, Whit. Hurry up." Andrea called.

"Oh, shut it. You usually take longer than me." I called back, running my fingers through my hair real quick and deciding to let it air dry. I opened the door to see Andrea dressed in pajamas as well. We walked down to the kitchen together.

Clary had made spaghetti and a homemade meat sauce for dinner. Dustin, Andrea, and I waited until we were the last in the kitchen, before piling our plates with a lot of food, going out to the living room, and scraping some of it into the fireplace. I sent a quick prayer to Physis and Iris, asking them to help me figure out what to do. We finished quickly, and went into the dining room, no one seeming to have noticed our short absence.

I ended up sitting at the end of the dining room table, next to Andrea. Next to her was Lizzy, then Aeric. Across from me was Dustin, David beside him. Then Laila, then Jace, and Clary.

"So, why don't you three tell us all a little more about yourselves?" Clary asked as we began eating.

"Well, the three of us live year round at a camp." Dustin started.

"A camp?" Jace asked. "Like, a summer camp?"

"Yeah, basically, except some of us live year round. Whether you stay there summers or years is your choice, though some of us have nowhere else to go, so we stay." Dustin explained.

"And you three chose to stay?" Clary asked curiously.

"Well, as you guys know, I was adopted. By one of Camp's directors." Dustin said. He had actually been adopted. It wasn't just a cover story. Chiron had decided he'd adopt this demigod, raise him from infancy with the help of his siblings.

"I'm not really on good terms with my family." Andrea said hesitantly. "Sometimes I visit, just to see certain people, but Texas is a long ways away."

"You decided to go to a camp in New York when you're from Texas?" Lizzy asked.

"It's a... Special camp." I started. "Every one of us has ADHD, dyslexia, or both. And most of us have no family or bad family situations. I'm one of the luckier ones, with a great family that I can return to."

"Why did you decide to move away from your family? Why not just visit summers?" Aeric asked curiously.

"I moved down when I was fourteen. And it's not that I don't love my family, I really do. I just felt that I needed to..." I took a deep breath. "I needed to get away. It's just so suffocating there, sometimes. It's too much, sometimes. Especially as I got older, and they would tell me more about them. And they haven't even told me the full story yet. I struggled with the decision, not wanting to leave my family and be away for so long, but I chose to do it. I mean, I was living in her house. Her room was my room. Most of their belongings, I ended up with. And growing up with stories of them, having so much of them... I just couldn't stay in a place so full of them, almost as if they weren't gone. But there are too many memories, too much to handle. I can see it. I can see it in everything, I can see their touch that they left behind."

"Who?" Clary asked softly. I didn't answer.

Dustin spoke up. "I'm just going to throw this out there right now: Do not bother Whit tomorrow."

"What?" David asked.

"Just, try to avoid me, please. I'll try to be out of everyone's way." I said quietly. Andrea set a comforting hand on my arm. I gave her a small smile.

"What's tomorrow?" Laila asked. I could tell she'd already guessed, and she was probably correct.

I took a deep breath. "The anniversary of the death of my parents. The third day after I was born." I said.

I didn't stick around the dining room for long after that. I went up to my room, to see if I could get some sleep before the nightmares would wake me up in the middle of the night, starting at midnight. Without fail, every single year since I'd been born, I always woke from the nightmares at midnight, the very beginning of the day my parents died.

Not too long later, Andrea entered the room, bringing me a slice of the pie Clary had made and a glass of warm milk. I, having not yet fallen asleep, accepted them gratefully, setting the dishes aside on the nightstand when I was done.

"Think you'll be able to fall asleep?" Andrea asked. "Or do you want some help?"

"I'll fall asleep. But thanks for the offer." I said. She smiled and left the room, taking the dishes with her.

I eventually managed to fall asleep.

* * *

When I woke from the horrid nightmares that plagued me every year, I knew there would be no more sleep for me, not until later.

I got up from my bed and wandered around the manor until I found a library. I searched for awhile, looking for something to read. I found a book called a Tale of Two Cities, and sat down on a couch to begin reading it by the moonlight through the window. I noticed that someone had written in it.

I finished the book just as I heard people starting to get up. It took me so long because of my dyslexia. I really hated it, sometimes. But it helped in reading Greek, so that was a plus.

I shut the book and set it on a side table. I got up from my seat and started toward the kitchen.

Clary looked surprised to see me, she was making breakfast for the other residents and guests, but said nothing as I fixed myself a bowl of fruit. I sat down at the counter and ate quietly while she cooked.

When I finished, I placed the bowl in the sink and left. I returned to the library, picking up another book to read.

When I finished the second book, it was twelve. I decided I had enough time to go to the kitchen and get a glass of water before returning to my room, no need to use my powers to get there. I ended up getting turned around a little on the way, but didn't worry about it.

I was just turning away from the sink when a boy appeared in the doorway. He didn't actually appear, more just came into view from outside in the hallway. He had golden hair and golden eyes. He was tall and lean.

"Well, hello pretty girl. I'm Flint." He said. He had a southern accent. "What's your name?"

I didn't answer, instead opting to walk across the room and duck under his arm and out of the kitchen. He caught my wrist as I passed. "Why'd you ignore me?" His tone wasn't angry, as I'd expected it might be, but curious.

"I really need to go, right now. Please let go." I said quietly. He let go of my wrist and watched as I turned to leave. I glanced at a clock and stopped in my tracks, cursing.

"What's got you swearing, sweetheart?" He asked. He seemed to like pet names.

"I need to get up there, but I don't have enough time." I said.

"Time for what?" Flint asked, confused.

I looked him in the eyes, and said only a sentence. "Don't freak out."

He gave me a confused look before the pain washed over me and I could think no more. A scream came from my lips as the darkness slowly washed over me. Flint tried to catch me as I fell, but hastily pulled back when both of his hands were burned. Then I closed my eyes, and the darkness was there.

* * *

I opened my eyes soon enough. I had known what was going to happen. And I knew that I was now standing just outside of my body, watching as Flint did the exact opposite of what I had told him to do. He was freaking out.

Dustin and Andrea came running. They knew what was going on. I had told them everything after Dustin once came looking for me and found me on the ground, as I now was. Or, as my body was.

It was sort of like a demigod dream, I guess. Or like being a spirit. It was my body ejecting my spirit for the duration of the pain. It had happened before - every time the anniversary came around, of course, but also once when I'd been caught in a trap in a remote part of the forest during capture the flag, and a large scorpion monster had found me. It was only Andrea finding me as a perimeter guard that saved me.

I watched as both of them knelt down beside my body. My skin was literally steaming with heat, but neither flinched away.

"Go get some wet rags." Andrea told Dustin.

"Shouldn't we try to help her?" Dustin asked. "I could-" Andrea cut him off before he spoke about his demigod powers in front of a Shadowhunter.

"Go get some wet rags. She's burning herself. I will take care of her." Andrea told him, voice not empty of other emotion, but full of command. Andrea had always been the logical and sensible one of the three of us. Dustin nodded and got up and left. He passed by Flint, who merely watched from a sitting position against the wall of the hallway.

Andrea rolled up her sleeves, and brushed hair away from my forehead. I watched the skin on her hand burn, but she paid it no attention. She just adjusted my body so that I was no longer lying in the broken glass of the cup I'd held before.

Dustin soon returned with rags and a bucket of cool water. He watched anxiously as she began to dunk them in the water and brush them against my face. I didn't feel a thing, that being blocked along with the pain. But I appreciated the effort.

I sat down beside Andrea, and touched her shoulder. She glanced over at me, but I knew she could not see me. No one could, not in this state. I'd tried before, nearly scared my family to death a couple times when I was little, when I didn't understand what was going on and so couldn't tell them.

Even though she did not see me, she smiled, then returned to the rags. She knew I was there after I told them about the anniversary.

* * *

 **Yay for so much pain your body literally ejects your soul. *Existential Crisis Ensues***

 **Hello, all! How's everyone doing? I hope you had a good thanksgiving! I also hope school (if you are in it) is going well! Mine's going pretty good, but I've got some math to catch up on and my english teacher told me yesterday I have to make up a test, but he didn't mention it today, so I'm hoping he just forgot. Other than that, classes are going pretty well.**

 **I also got my CTE shirt today, which I'm super happy about. I'm in the second (and final) year of the video production course at my highschool, and they got us all tshirts from the CTE (Career Technical Engineering) department, and we're all supposed to wear them tomorrow, even if we're not volunteering for the CTE fair the freshman and sophomores go to during lunches.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	10. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl**_ _:_

Even though she did not see me, she smiled, then returned to the rags. She knew I was there after I told them about the anniversary.

* * *

"What's wrong with her?" Flint finally asked.

Andrea looked up at him. "It happens every year, she told us." She said no more than that.

"What do you mean, sugar?" Flint asked. Yeah, he liked pet names.

"The pain," Andrea explained, "appears every year just after noon, preceded by the nightmares at midnight, and it causes her not to black out, but to go into a sort of catatonic state."

"Will she be better soon?" Flint asked.

"She's better now. She doesn't feel it after she goes into this state." Andrea continued. She didn't say anything about me being there right now.

"When will it end?" Flint asked.

"Soon." Dustin told him. The time was never definite, so he didn't actually know. The only definite thing was that it always ended by midnight.

"Whit." A voice said behind me. Startled, I stood and turned around. Two spirits stood behind me.

"How are you here?" I asked. I didn't bother asking who they were.

"Blood contains a peculiar magic." The male said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Do you not recognize us? I didn't realize you could age in Elysium." The female said.

Then I recognized them, and a surprised gasp escaped my lips.

"Lyric? Kiernan?" I asked.

"In the flesh. Or, I should say, spirit." Kiernan said.

"We've come to give you a warning." Lyric started. "No one can observe us here. And we could only find you here because we are your direct blood, we are your parents."

"A warning?" I asked.

"Someone will come to you. You will not know him. He will ask you to join him, but you must never do that." Kiernan told me.

"Who?" I asked.

"We do not yet know, ourselves." Lyric said. "He tried to find our spirits, to use us, but we evade him. No matter what is said, no matter what you hear, no matter what you see, do not join him. You must be strong."

"We must go before we are noticed gone from the Underworld. The occasion is rare we are allowed to visit." Kiernan said.

"We love you. And we're proud of you. You've grown into a strong young adult." Lyric told me. They disappeared.

I had no time to ponder over their message, because I was back in my body, sitting up and gasping for air.

"Are you alright?" Dustin asked the moment my airway had cleared.

"I'm fine." I said, pulling myself into a standing position. They all stood as well. I looked over to Flint. "Sorry about your hands. I guess telling someone not to freak out doesn't really help. And I should have warned you. Clary can probably fix it."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. What about you, honey?" Flint asked.

"Never better. Didn't feel a thing for most of that." I said, waving a hand.

"Let's head to the living room. Everyone will want an explanation as to the scream and us running out." Andrea said. I nodded, and we followed her.

* * *

"Everything alright?" Clary asked when we entered.

"Just a little yearly thing. I'm fine. Flint's not, though. You may want to take a look at his hands. I failed to properly warn him." I said. Clary reached for her stele when Flint held his hands out to her.

"I've had worse, little miss fire." Flint told me. I smiled sheepishly.

I turned to Dustin and Andrea. "So, be ready by seven tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yeah, that'll give us plenty of time." Dustin confirmed.

"Works for me." Andrea added.

"You're going somewhere?" Aeric asked.

"Concert in Boston. I got a couple tickets from my aunt." I explained.

"What band?" Lizzy asked.

"Streetlight Manifesto." I said. "One of my absolute favorite, though Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly are high up there, as you can probably tell by this shirt."

"Alternatively, ska punk slash punk rock and punk Irish music bands?" Clary asked.

"You've heard of them?" I asked.

"I'm probably the only one who has. All these shadowhunters never spent any time in the mundane world, and usually don't. I think I'm the only one who really enjoys it." Clary explained, waving a hand. I just nodded.

"Well, I like the mundane world." Flint commented.

"You're more into folk music, though, rather than punk. Besides, the bands she mentioned are things that my generation would have begun to know, and your parents' generation would have grown up with." Clary explained. Flint shrugged.

"I'm going to go to Spruce Creek." I stated. "I haven't been in awhile. I'll be back later." With that, I was gone.

* * *

When I appeared in my room, I took off my combat boots and laid on the bed. I had moved some of the furniture to my own cabin at camp, things like the dressing screen and the armoire and the beanbag. I left the bed and the bookshelf and everything else, everything else furniture. I had brought most of my belongings, so I'd actually have them.

I fell asleep, unsurprisingly, seeing as the pain took a lot out of me, as per usual.

* * *

When I woke and looked at the time, it was seven in the morning. Twelve hours until I needed to be ready. I shoved my feet into my boots and went down to the guest room. The room painted to look like nighttime in a grassy meadow was absolutely beautiful.

* * *

After spending about an hour in the guest room, I went downstairs to get something to eat. Seeing as how I hadn't eaten in a while, I was hungry.

I had just made myself a sandwich when Maddie walked in. She was surprised, and dropped the plastic cup in her hand. Luckily, it was empty. "What are you doing here, Whit?" She asked as she bent down to pick it back up and set it on the counter.

"I had a rough day yesterday, and I came here and fell asleep upstairs." I said.

"I think we all had a rough day." She said, looking out the window solemnly.

"Can you tell me anything about them?" I asked, sitting on one of the barstools. Maddie sat across from me.

"I didn't really know Kiernan, as our social groups were wildly different. Really, I didn't even hold a real conversation with him until after Lyric moved to town." Maddie started. "But your mother, we became good friends quickly. I met her at lunch on her first day of school, she was sitting with Lydia at our table. Lydia introduced us, Jay tried to get her to sit with him at the table full of the popular kids, and then she came back and we all talked."

"Jay was sitting with the popular kids?" I asked with a laugh.

"Yeah. Not that he was ever like them, but, as I'm told, he was always very likeable and it attracted those kinds of people." Maddie said.

"It attracted you, too." I teased. She blushed.

"Yeah. Anyways, I found out Lyric was in some of my dance classes, and we ended up partners for a couple things. She also made the team. So, me and her and Lydia just ended up great friends." Maddie continued.

"Didn't she also do taekwondo?" I asked. My aunt nodded.

"So, we all were great friends. Lyric also became friends with Kiernan through a couple projects they had to work on together. Then, the Friday after she moved up, I think it was, her father showed up. He tried to take Lyric with him, but she kept shouting at him in Greek. It only made him madder." Maddie said, shaking her head slowly.

"I've never heard this story before. Just the basics, and barely that." I said, frowning.

"I think you're old enough by now to hear it. Only a year younger than she was." Maddie said.

"So, what happened?" I asked.

"He ended up being restrained by Jay and Kiernan. She had told everyone to stay inside where they'd be safe, but they didn't listen. Neither did her mother, who her father threw into the side of the house. And Lyric, she saw before anyone else that he had a knife. So she shoved Kiernan out of the way, and ended up with the knife straight through her hand." Maddie said. My eyes widened. My mother took a knife for my father? I knew they loved each other a lot, but damn. "And then, she pulled the knife out of her hand right as the police showed up. Not a good image for her, but all she had to do was show off her new gaping wound. Freaked out the officer, especially when she seemed to have not even noticed it much. And Warren, he ended up getting away again. Brought out a gun, and he and Lyric were yelling at each other. He shot at her, but Kiernan, he tackled her out of the way. Instead of Lyric getting a bullet to the heart, Kiernan got a bullet to the side. He passed out on top of her." My eyes couldn't widen anymore. Damn, my parents were, like, the epic romance you'd find only in fiction.

"What happened to Warren?" I asked.

"Shot seventeen times in the head and chest. There were a ton of officers on the scene. Granted, I knew none of this until Lyric told me. I wasn't there." Maddie explained.

"I can't believe their lives were so weird." I said slowly.

"It only gets better from there." Maddie said. Her tone was half joking.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The Friday after that was Halloween. Kiernan was throwing a Halloween party, like he did every year of high school. We all went. It was fun, and we all danced with each other. Now, Lyric was supposed to go home with me, because Whitney was up at the farm, but that didn't end up happening. She didn't want to cut short the fun Jay and I were having. So she ended up staying over there, her stuff was there already, anyway. Lydia had locked herself in her room to go to sleep awhile before, so Lyric stayed in Kiernan's room. You can likely imagine what happened." Maddie went on. "But when she woke in the middle of the night, she freaked. She ran away, managed to get back into her own house, and arrived at dance super early. When I got there, she wouldn't tell me much, but Jay had woken in the night and immediately knew something was up. So when I saw her through the studio window, I called him and Lydia. They came, as well as Kiernan. Now, none of us but Kiernan knew what was going on, and she told us to ask Kiernan before she ran away again, but he told us it wasn't his place. We looked around for her for awhile, but couldn't find her. Jay eventually concluded she'd gone to the farm, so we all got in his car and went for the two hour drive."

"Did she run away to the farm?" I asked.

"Yeah. We all slept over after Jay's and her shouting match in Greek. When Jay saw her in his shirt, the look on his face was priceless." Maddie laughed a little. "We brought her out to the car in the morning, but we let her sleep."

"What happened when you got home?" I asked.

"She avoided Kiernan for a week. And no one would tell Lydia and I what was going on, but we managed to figure it out. That was also the week we got another two new students." Maddie explained. "Cypress and Nikita."

"So that's how you guys met them?" I asked.

"Yeah. Now, on that Friday, things started getting more... Supernatural. Lyric met Tartarus, and then Cypress and Nikita brought her and Jay and Kiernan to camp, and a whole slew of other things happened. Basically, the camps went to war again monsters, Lyric went up to Olympus and found out she was pregnant, not to mention hallucinated both Jay and Kiernan dying. And then she had to live through that, but she offered herself for them. Tartarus took Nikita as well, saying he'd kill you if she didn't go. Nikita was the only one who knew. You were born down there, and he took you and wiped Lyric's memory of you. He also posed as Kiernan rescuing them, but Lyric figured it out when your father showed up at her house. More things happened, then the final standoff. Nikita managed to take you back, had Kiernan hold you, and then apparently protected the camp and everyone else while your mother destroyed Tartarus." Maddie summarized.

"Wow." I said.

"Yeah. And then they came back to the farm, and we spent every moment we could with them. You really weren't a happy baby when they died. It was like you knew what was going on." Maddie said.

"I did." I whispered. "I knew exactly what was going on."

Maddie gave me a sad smile. "You should probably be getting back, now." She told me. I glanced at the clock. It was only seven thirty.

"I don't really want to go back." I said with a sigh.

"What's wrong with camp?" My aunt asked curiously.

"Nothing." I said quickly. Our family in Ohio must not have even been aware of the prophecy.

"Whitney Warren Ashton. What's going on?" She asked.

I sighed. "A lot of things are going on. We... We got a prophecy. Me and Dustin. And we've brought Andrea along. But we basically have to sit around until the thirtieth, and maybe even after that." I explained slowly.

"The thirtieth?" She asked.

"That's when the ceremony is." I told her.

"Ceremony?" She was confused, I could tell.

"Too much too explain. But you're right, I should get back. I'll explain things at a later date. Don't worry for now. None of it's dangerous." I said. And with that, I was no longer there.

* * *

I appeared in my cabin. I set my battery powered alarm clock, laid down on the bed, and fell asleep again.

I woke to the alarm at six thirty in the evening. I shut the alarm off, got up, and went to the bathroom to take the shower.

After the shower woke me up, I wrapped a towel around myself, grabbed my boots, and appeared in my room in the manor.

I went over to the dresser to pick out an outfit. I ended up deciding on a light blue pair of jeans, a loose purple tank top over my bra, and my leather jacket. I slid my boots and a pair of socks on, and tossed my wallet and my iPod in my pockets, along with the tickets.

I opened the door to find Andrea, about to knock. Dustin was standing beside her. "You guys ready?" I asked.

"Yeah." Andrea said.

"We were just coming to get you." Dustin added.

"Obviously." I said. "Come on."

We made our way downstairs, to the front door. "We're headed out! We'll be back later, or maybe tomorrow!" I called as the door shut behind me. There was a muffled response from another room. I took Andrea and Dustin's hands, and we were just outside the venue in Boston.

* * *

The concert was wonderful. Andrea, Dustin, and I ended up watching from the balcony up above the back of the crowd, the balcony which also happened to hold a bar. We may or may not have manipulated the mist to get ourselves a couple drinks.

When we got back, we went upstairs, going separate ways when we reached our rooms. I went into mine and tossed down the bag that held the t-shirt and CD I'd bought. I took off my jacket after emptying the pockets, and tossed it over by the vanity. Then I took off my shoes, throwing them by the door.

I changed into pajamas, a loose camisole and soft and comfortable pants. Then I threw myself on my bed and fell asleep.

* * *

 **Random tip: At a loss for character names, or, especially, last names? The credits of a movie will give you hundreds of possibilities. Start a list that you can access at any time for any work of writing. You'll thank yourself, trust me. (I've got lists for unisex, male, female, last, and shadowhunter names. They're extremely helpful, and I have it partially alphabetized, where in I group A names together and so on and so forth.)**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	11. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

I woke late the next day with a slight headache. Rather than get up and do anything, I just laid there. I didn't really want to do anything or get up.

Dustin came into my room a couple of minutes later. He went over to the window and opened the curtains. I groaned and covered my face with a pillow. He laughed.

"C'mon, Whit, get up. Everyone's in the library." Dustin said.

I got up, shooed him out, and got dressed. Then I joined him in the hall and went down to the library with him.

When we arrived at the library, we took the only empty seats near everyone else - a single remaining couch, a small piece of furniture. Andrea was sharing another with Flint, Lizzy and Aeric were on chairs, and Jace and Clary sat on a larger couch with David beside Jace. Laila was on a chair.

"We were just speaking about life in Idris." Clary announced to us. "Why don't you three tell us about life at camp and at your homes?"

"Where do we even start?" I asked.

"What's your normal routine like?" Clary asked.

"Well, everyone's got a schedule to follow with their cabin, but I don't think anyone really follows those. Not anymore, not for a while. Back when my aunts and uncles went, maybe, but not really now." I started.

"How are the cabins arranged? Do you get to choose?" Lizzy asked.

"You don't get to choose which cabin you're in." Dustin said.

"Unless you're like me." I added. "If both your parents went to camp, you get to choose one of their cabins."

"I guess if one parent went, you automatically get that one?" Jace asked.

"Depends." Andrea said. "Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes, though, you'll get a different cabin."

"Are the cabins based off of anything?" Aeric asked.

"Yeah. The camp actually has a sort of Greek theme." Dustin said. Laila glanced at him sharply. But she didn't have to worry, we wouldn't be revealing our world yet.

"The cabins each have an assigned patron Greek god or goddess." I explained. "Number one is Zeus, so on and so forth."

"There are cabins for more than just the twelve Olympians, though most are newer developments over the past two or so generations. We'd be the second or third generation to see them, they started with the campers who were a little older than the generation of our parents." Andrea continued.

"What do you guys usually do?" Aeric asked.

"A bit of everything." Dustin said. "Pretty much everyone likes to roam. But we usually are doing one activity, or are at one of our hideouts."

"Hideouts?" Lizzy asked.

"Just our random places we like to hang out at. I think the one we use the most is Whit's cabin." Andrea explained.

"Why that cabin specifically?" Jace asked curiously.

"Because I'm the only camper to use the cabin. Unless, of course, Nikita comes down to visit, but I'm generally the only person there. I don't think she and Cypress have visited in awhile, and usually when they do, it's only for a couple hours, and not an overnight thing." I explained.

"Why are you the only one in the cabin?" Clary asked.

"It's a... Special cabin. Only two campers have used it before me, and they both had the same... Disease. I don't have it, but I am allowed to stay there because my mom did and no one else uses it. The two campers were Nikita, who is my godmother, actually, and my mother, though I don't know if my mother can even really be counted as staying there, because she and my father didn't go to camp for very long before they died." I said.

"Your camp houses adults as well as teens?" Flint asked.

"No, most campers leave around the time they hit eighteen. Some might wait for a friend or something, but most leave to go to college or find a job. Camp actually houses anyone from child to teen." I said.

"Did your parents just leave camp after that little bit of time?" Jace asked.

"No, they left camp and then only lived for a few days after that. My parents were young. My mom was a Junior and my dad a senior in high school. They were only still in their teens, nearing adulthood, but still teens." I said.

"And who are the patrons of your cabins, if that's the theme?" Clary asked.

"I'm in the Apollo cabin. Whit's in the Physis cabin, though Physis is technically a Primordial and not a god. Rea's in the Hypnos cabin." Dustin said.

"We were talking about our favorite memories at the institute and in Idris, earlier. Do you guys have any favorite memories from camp?" Laila asked.

Dustin, Andrea, and I glanced at each other and began cracking up, gaining us confused looks from the others.

"Okay, so this is story you'll want to hear." Andrea started. "After breakfast one day, this was what, a year and a half ago? I don't know. Either way, we became pretty inseparable like right after we started hanging around together, when Whit moved down. Anyways, we were headed to the climbing wall."

"On our way there, we passed a couple of Aphrodite campers standing in a little cluster. They start whispering to each other, and we're like whatever, those people there like to gossip." Dustin continued. "We didn't think much of it."

"So, we're walking by, and before we get out of earshot, this one boy comes over to us. He's looking down at the ground and he says 'You're very pretty' and he's quiet and stuff. And he's looking at the ground, so we don't know who he's talking to." I explained. "A moment later, he looks up, and he looks at Dustin, and repeats it, then leaves. You should've seen Dustin's face. He was so confused."

"I was confused because Stephanie's friends with Logan, and she said he's aromantic and asexual!" Dustin protested.

"Later, we found out it was just his cabin mates daring him to do that, but it was funny, nonetheless. Especially the utter confusion that was Dustin." Andrea finished.

"Any other favorite memories, doll?" Flint asked.

Andrea glanced at me and gave a slightly non-innocent smile. My eyes widened. "Don't you dare." I said.

"What do you- Oh, you should totally, Rea." Dustin said, stopping mid-sentence when he realized what she was thinking of.

"Do you both hate me?" I asked.

"Totally." Andrea said. "So, this was when we met Whit. Dustin and I were good friends before then. We met her when she was moving into her cabin." I groaned.

"Who was with you?" Dustin asked. "Was it all of your cousins, too, or just the uncle, aunt, and godparents?"

"Hayden and Bailey were there, as well as my uncle Jay, aunt and godmother Chelsey, and my godparents Cypress and Nikita." I confirmed.

"You have three godparents, and one of them is your aunt?" Lizzy asked.

"Yeah. In my mom's words 'Screw the rules.' And Chelsey's only my aunt because my grandmother eventually married her father." I explained.

"So, Whit had the adults of her family who had gone to camp helping her bring stuff into her cabin. Well, they were doing that while she just kinda roamed around nearby." Dustin started again. "So Andrea and I happened to come across her while she's doing said roaming."

"We saw her moving into her cabin, thought we'd say hi, you know, be friendly. We'd seen her around camp before, but she usually stuck around her cousins because they all visited together and stuff." Andrea continued. "So, we started up a conversation." I brought my knees up to my chest and put my head in my hands, I knew what was coming next.

"The three of us were talking when one of her cousins ran up and just pushed her over. We were startled, but she just went 'No fair, you can't get me when I'm talking to people.' And then her other cousin comes over as she's getting up and says the rules don't say that." Dustin said.

"We were very confused, until Whit explained the game she and her cousins play. Apparently, they're all into violence and shoving people over." Andrea laughed.

"Well, what do you think happens when you put a bunch of little kids together who like to run around and play rough?" I asked. "Well, Orianne isn't so little, she's seven years older than me, but still."

"You have a game, where you shove people over?" Aeric asked.

"It's not just shoving people. Basically, we all gather together, and we have to say the lines to start us off, and then a random number of us, not predetermined, will take off running. The others have to chase them down and push then over. You can only get back up if you think you can get away and not get caught. When everyone is down, the chasers win. Or, if the Chasers give up, the Runners win. It's really simple, but really funny. We've had games last multiple hours before." I explained.

"So, Whit accepts she lost and her cousins won. Then they start off another game, and both boys start running. Rather than go after them, Whit just turns back to us and continues the conversation like nothing happened." Dustin said.

"You don't understand my family. That's how we do things." I complained.

"Completely ignored her cousins. Anyways, she later spots something behind us, and goes off running. One of them climbed a tree, and she tried to follow." Andrea continued. "Instead of getting her cousin, she managed to fall, and her foot got caught, leaving her dangling upside down."

"As it turns out, Hayden knows how to set a trap in a tree and cover it so you won't see it. My foot didn't get caught, I was held like that by a rope." I protested.

"Either way, watching your uncle untangle you only for you to fall the rest of the way to the ground was pretty funny." Andrea said. "And then you getting up and coming over to us again like nothing happened was funny, too. Like there weren't leaves and twigs in your hair, or dirt on your face."

"Like neither of you have never been clumsy or ignored something." I grumbled. Something vibrated in my pocket. I pulled out my iPod. "Apparently, Hayden wishes to Skype. Should I answer him?"

"Yeah. He's probably doing so for a reason." Dustin said.

I accepted the Skype. The screen showed Brady standing there with his iPod. "Brady?" I asked. "Why do you have Hayden's iPod? And what do you want?"

"I borrowed it. And I thought you should probably know about this before you got back and killed someone." Brady said.

"What did you do?" I asked, voice slightly threatening.

"Oh, I didn't do anything." Brady said.

"So what did Bailey or Hayden do?" I asked.

"They didn't do anything, either." Brady said.

"Then tell me who did something, and what they did." I said, starting to get annoyed.

"Just look." Brady said. He pointed the camera away from himself, and toward a cabin. It was the Hypnos cabin.

The Hypnos cabin had things written onto its sides. Extremely rude and mean things, insults directed at Andrea. I knew it was directed at Andrea just like I knew who did it. It was all done in sparkly pink color and looping handwriting.

The insults included things like ugly, overweight, and much meaner things. All of which were untrue. Andrea was pretty fit, and really pretty. She just didn't have much by way of self confidence, and didn't believe that she was.

"I'm going to kill that bitch." I muttered. Then I spoke to Brady. "Help clean it up. I don't want Andrea seeing it. Hayden can help, he's good at covering things like that. And my dad's old cabin - there are a lot of campers who like to paint there. They can help."

"Don't want me to see what?" Andrea asked.

"It's nothing." I said.

"You're lying, Whit. I know you're lying." Andrea said. She looked about to cry.

"You don't want to see it." I replied, shaking my head.

"Whit." Andrea said, voice cracking. I sighed and passed her the iPod. Brady still had the camera pointed to the cabin. Flint glanced over her shoulder at it, and his eyes widened when he saw.

Andrea passed the iPod back to me and said "Forget you killing someone. I'm going to kill her myself. What she did, now my entire cabin has to see it." Then she started crying.

Flint slid an arm around her to try and comfort her. "It's okay, sweetheart. None of that is true. Have you looked in a mirror lately?" He asked.

"Andrea." I said firmly. "I've told you a million times, and I'll tell you again. She is not right. She does not know everything. She's not even perfect, herself, much as she tries to be. But you are wonderful, Andrea. Wonderful exactly the way you are. Do not listen to a girl like her, who loves spouting gossip and lies, over someone like me, who would not lie to you. Not about something like this."

Andrea's tears slowly stopped. When I glanced over at Dustin, he looked a bit confused. He'd never witnessed this, and I'd only told him about it once. "Who did something to her cabin?" He asked.

"I talked to you about this, remember? There's only one person in the entire camp who likes to be cruel like this to her." I told him.

"Anita?" He asked. I nodded and turned back to looking at Andrea.

"Are you okay now?" I asked softly. She nodded, and leaned slightly into Flint. I don't think either of them realized it.

Thankfully, no one commented on that as the conversation started back up. No, thankfully, Flint just launched into a story about his friends and family back at the Texas Institute.

* * *

It was a while later when a sudden burst of music cut through the conversation. Andrea flushed a little, then pulled her phone out of her back pocket. She didn't look at the screen as she answered. "Hello?"

I don't know what the response was on the other line, but her eyes widened and her face paled. She listened for a moment before speaking again. "I can't."

I watched her wince. "I can't leave until at least the thirtieth."

"No, you know I wouldn't do that-" They cut her off, as she abruptly stopped speaking.

"No, I'm with Whit and Dustin." She said. She glanced up at me, and I gave her a reassuring smile, though I had no idea what the conversation was about.

"I don't know when I can. Hold on, let me put you on speakerphone, so you can talk to Laila." Andrea pulled the phone away from her ear, placed it on a side table, and set it to speakerphone.

The end of a sentence could be heard in a heavy southern accent. "-is Laila?"

"Laila is kind of in charge here." Andrea said. At this point, it was a fairly easy guess, for me and Dustin at least, to figure out that this was Andrea's stepfather.

"I thought that insufferable man in the wheelchair, Mr. Brunner was it? I thought he was in charge." Andrea's stepfather asked.

"We're on a trip, right now, pa. Laila's in charge." Andrea said. It was times like these you could hear her slight accent.

"I don't care where you are. The deal was that you come down to visit the family for a week every six months, and you could go to that ridiculous camp for your mental disabilities." He said, sounding angry. Andrea winced, as did Dustin and I. He didn't know she was a demigod, or refused to believe it. It made sense if he refused to believe it, he and her entire family were very Christian and very conservative and traditional. They could barely tolerate that her mother had cheated, often speaking ill of her.

"I won't be able to get down there for at least another week, pa. Today's what? The twenty fourth? We can't leave until at least December first. And then it'll take time to get down to Texas." Andrea explained.

"Let me talk to this Laila person." He demanded.

"Sir, some of us have gone a trip, gone down to New England. We go back to Manhattan on the first of December, and from there, we can arrange for Andrea to go home to you." Laila said. She glanced at Andrea for approval, and Andrea nodded.

"Whatever. Just get yourself down here by the third. Bring whoever you want, so long as they'll fit into the guest house." He told her.

"Alright, pa. Will do." Andrea said softly.

"You should know that Mallory's missed you." He said. Andrea froze, and didn't say anything.

Her stepfather hung up, and Andrea let out a shaky, disbelieving laugh. "She'd never miss me even if I was the only person on this planet who could save her damn life."

"That was your father?" Clary asked.

"No, that was my stepfather. If you could call him that. More like legal guardian." Andrea explained. "I have to go visit for a week every six months."

"Who's Mallory?" Jace asked.

"My older sister. Well, my half sister. And she'd never miss me, she hates me. Probably just told pa to say that because he thinks she's the perfect little angel, and she keeps it up around him." Andrea said.

"Why would she hate you, doll?" Flint asked.

"A lot of reasons. But the biggest is she blames me for our mother's death. She died during childbirth, so I never knew her, but Mallory was two. She blames me for the fact that she never really got to know her, either, least not that she can remember." Andrea said. She looked to me and Dustin. "You guys coming?"

"Of course, Rea. You know I'll be there for you, for anything, big or small." I told her.

"Same here. We'll always be there for you." Dustin said.

"Thanks, guys." Andrea said.

"Would you like anyone else to go with you? We should probably send at least one Nephilim, in case of any demon attacks. Not that you aren't capable, Whit, but you are newer to the shadow world." Laila asked.

"I don't really care. The guest house has five bedrooms. And we'll have to arrange it very particularly, or Matthew will throw a fit." Andrea said.

"I'll go. It's my home state, anyhow." Flint said.

David volunteered to go as well. We five made plans for a week starting December second.

* * *

 **Yay for visiting Texas. I've never been to Texas, so forgive my mistakes if I make any when I write that part. All I really know is that this one place has like a house with a trampoline in it (not in the yard, but in the actual house) or something. My stepdad's annual work trip went to like San Antonio once.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	12. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

After plans were made for visiting Andrea's family, the five of us, and Lizzy and Aeric, made plans to go home to New York for the afternoon, and eventually get dinner, as well. Just because we were told we had to stay in Idris, it didn't mean we couldn't visit.

We left at one. Clary created a portal for us, so that we wouldn't have to find another way to get ourselves there.

When we stepped through the portal, we were just outside the Institute.

We all kind of walked around, headed toward Central Park to hang out there. We spent the afternoon talking, laughing, and just having fun, in general.

* * *

Everyone was just getting up to head to Taki's for dinner when I saw her. I didn't say anything to anyone, just quietly left the group and began walking quickly. I could catch up after.

Anita didn't see me until I had punched her in her perfect little face. She stumbled back and clutched her nose with her hands. Blood stained her white top. "You bitch!" She exclaimed.

"I saw what you did to Andrea's cabin." I said angrily. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"That little slut deserved it. Just take a look at her." Anita said.

"Why?" I asked, cold anger evident in my voice. "Why do you delight in the pain of others? Why do you make her life a living hell? Why do you try to hurt me? Why do you mess with my family?"

"It's all because it gets to her!" Anita exclaimed. "She took _everything_ from me! _Everything_!" Anita was so worked up she was mixing in Greek.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked.

"You wouldn't know a thing, because obviously she wouldn't have ever told anyone! But that lying little slutty bitch deserves all of it! She took everything from me, and I'm going to make her remember that!" Anita told me.

"Just stay the hell away from my friends and my family or I'll put you in the hospital. Don't think I won't do it, either." I threatened.

She just gave me a long look. Finally, she spoke. "I don't think you'll find camp very inviting or friendly when you return from your quest." She was going to tell them about my sexuality and gender identity, then.

"I don't care anymore. Shout it to the whole world, for all I care! Just stay the hell away from the people I care about!" I told her. "I'm done being afraid of you and those at camp who would hate me for who I am! I'm sick of it, so I'm stopping right now! Go ahead and do whatever you want, Anita. I just hope you find yourself having a nice life after you destroy the lives of others."

I turned around and jogged to my friends, who had made it almost down the block by this point. I caught up to the back of the group, and no one but David noticed my late arrival. He saw the blood on my hand, Anita's blood, but I wiped it off quickly.

"Andrea." I said quietly. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She stopped and we let the group go ahead a little bit before following at a distance. "What'd you need, Whit?" She asked curiously.

"I saw Anita at the park." I told her. The look on her face was somewhere between despair and anger. "I think I broke her nose, don't worry."

"I wish you did more than that." She muttered.

"I promised to put her in the hospital unless she left the people I care about alone." I assured her. "I just wanted to ask you about something she said."

The color drained from Andrea's face. "What did she say?"

"She told me why she does it. Why she's cruel to you, to me, why she messes with my family. She told me it's because it gets to you." I said. Her face was so full of despair, now. "She told me she's going to make you remember that you took everything from her."

Andrea began to cry as we walked. No, she began to sob. Something had obviously happened, and it had hurt her. I slipped an arm around her shoulders and held her as we walked. We were out of earshot of the group, thankfully.

When she finally calmed down enough to speak, her voice wasn't much more than a whisper. "It isn't my fault. I didn't know. I swear it, Whit, I didn't know."

"You didn't know what, Rea?" I asked softly. I brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"I didn't know he had a girlfriend. I didn't know she was totally in love with him and he was just playing with her. I didn't even know he was in a relationship." She said quietly. "I only kissed him once. I refused to even talk to him after I found out he'd been cheating. But someone sent Anita a picture. She was so devastated. I never wanted that to happen. I didn't know because I was only there for a week, visiting my family." Andrea shook her head. I was silent as she continued.

"The next time I visited, I learned that she'd patched things up with him. I was glad for her, I didn't know her all that well, but she was completely in love him. I thought maybe he was, too, and it had just been a mistake." Andrea shook her head again. "He cornered me, when he saw me. I was on my way back home after going out for lunch, I had walked. He told me it was all my fault his girlfriend and him went through that huge fight and rocky patch in their relationship."

Andrea started crying again. I noticed we were nearing Taki's. I resolved to stay outside with her while the others went in. Dustin knew the kind of things we liked to eat.

When she calmed, she again spoke. "After he got done blaming me, he left. But that wasn't the end of it." A single tear slid down her cheek. "The night after that was when it happened. He broke into my house one night. I always stayed in the guest house, so no one heard anything."

"He had this crazy obsession with me, apparently, ever since the one time I kissed him. That night he broke in, he..." She trailed off. We'd reached Taki's. I pulled her off to the side to talk while the others went in.

"What did he do?" I asked gently. I could guess, but I really hoped I was wrong.

"He wanted to be with me, said I was better than Anita, anyways. I wanted nothing to do with him, but he had a gun. He told me it was either him or death. I didn't choose him like he wanted, and he tried to kill me. Nearly did." Tears rolled down her cheeks. "Anita thinks I threw myself at him. That's what he told my family, pretending to be disgusted and saying he already had a girlfriend. The rumors spread around town pretty quickly."

"That's horrible." I whispered. I hugged her close to me, stroking her hair.

"That's not the worst of it." She said. Her voice cracked. "Anita first thought they could get through it, that maybe she just wasn't good enough for what he needed. She had heard the rumors, and while she believed I'd thrown myself at him, she knew he wouldn't have been unhappy about it at all. She saw the way he looked at me, and she wanted him to look at her that way, the way he used to. She used to be so different, so innocent and naive. But she changed, trying to get him to love her again. Even through all that, she never stopped loving him."

"Anita and I are the same age, and he was older. Not that that was that big a difference. But this was the summer before Anita began eighth grade back home, when we'd both just turned thirteen in May. The summer before he went into sophomore year." Andrea said. "That's where the whole believing she wasn't enough came from. She thought she wasn't enough because she was younger than him and wasn't ready for much intimacy. She thought that she should've been, if someone else her age was and could be with him like that."

"I was too scared back then to speak up about what he'd actually done. Not a single person, other than you, now, knows what happened. I guess the walls must have been pretty soundproof or something, because no one heard me scream, no one heard the gunshot, and no one heard _his_ scream when I fought back." Andrea said.

"Why didn't you ever tell anyone, Rea?" I asked gently.

"No one would have believed me. They didn't even like me much back in that town, so they wouldn't have needed almost any evidence that I was exactly the things they didn't like." Andrea said, shaking her head. "I began only visiting every six months. I changed my appearance. I wore different clothes and dyed my hair temporarily whenever I did visit, so I wouldn't be recognized outside of my own family."

Andrea took a deep breath and finished the story. "I was fine staying at camp for most of my time. But Anita started going to camp a year later. When she saw me, there, it's like something in her snapped. She blames me for her losing everything. For him not loving her anymore, even though I think she knows deep down that he never really loved her. She's a child of Aphrodite, after all." She took another deep breath. "Her life basically fell apart because of me. She lost the only person she had there for her. Even if he was just playing her, he was also her only friend. She had no one else, not even family members, who showed some semblance of caring for her. I think that's why she fell so hard for him. Because she finally could. And when I came into her life, and his life, she lost everything."

"None of that is your fault, Rea. Not a single bit of it." I whispered fiercely, hugging her close. "And it doesn't warrant how Anita's behaved, even if she doesn't know the true story."

"But it is my fault, Whit. If I'd just never kissed him in the first place, none of this would've happened!" Andrea protested.

"Hey." I told her. "You didn't know. You were just a girl who kissed a guy one time and stopped when you saw that it was wrong. That's not a bad thing. Everything that happened after that, it's his fault. He manipulated you both. He lied to her, and he threatened you. While Anita is responsible for her own actions, it stems from that boy's own wrongdoings, not anything you did."

"Hey, you guys didn't come in after awhile, so-" Dustin stopped speaking.

Andrea and I had been standing at the edge of an empty alleyway to talk. Dustin stopped when he saw the tears on Andrea's face. She immediately began wiping at her face with her sleeves.

"Sorry." I said. "We just needed a couple minutes. Another minute and we'll be in."

Dustin just nodded, still staring at Andrea, and went back inside.

* * *

After Andrea looked presentable again, and the tears and puffy eyes and face were gone, we went inside.

Lizzy, Aeric, and David were sitting on one side of the booth. Dustin and Flint were on the other. Andrea slid in next to Flint and I seated myself beside her. The booth was, luckily, just large enough for four to fit on one side.

Everyone else only seemed to notice our absence, but I could tell Flint noticed the broken look in Andrea's eyes. "You okay, doll?" He asked.

Andrea didn't say anything, only stared down at the plate of pancakes Dustin slid in front of her. He'd ordered her pancakes and me pulled pork.

We went back to the manor after we all ate, me using my power to transport us. I really ought to think of a name for it, instead of thinking of it as 'using my power to transport myself and / or others and / or things'.

I took a shower in the bathroom near my bedroom, then threw on some pajamas and went to Andrea's room. She got back from taking a shower a few minutes after I went in. I was laying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling while she got dressed. Then she came over and laid beside me.

I slid an arm around her. She rested her head against my shoulder. I didn't say anything as we laid there. I knew my friend just needed someone there for her right now.

When she began to cry, I traced circles on her arm with my thumb.

Eventually, I moved to get up. "Where are you going?" Andrea asked. I could tell she was ready to fall asleep, but she'd been like that for the past hour and a half.

"Just to get some water, Rea. I'll grab you a glass of warm milk, too, okay?" I said. She could make others fall asleep with her powers, but not herself.

"Thank you." She said softly.

"I have a question." I said hesitatingly.

"I have an answer." Andrea answered.

"Do you want to Dustin to know?" I asked.

She tensed for a moment, but relaxed. "Yeah. It felt so much better to have someone so close to me knowing. And I don't want to keep secrets for even longer than I already have been. I saw what that did to you guys." She said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You told me how you felt about him, Whit. Did you not think he'd do the same? But I saw that the longer you kept that from each other, the harder it was for you guys to act more, let's say, normal, around each other. And you weren't keeping secrets like the ones I did, nor have you known him as long." Andrea explained.

"Well, Rea, technically-" I protested. She cut me off.

"Coming out does not constitute as a secret. And you didn't start out loving him, even if he had always liked you when he saw you around camp. You grew into that." Andrea said. "Now, just go get me some milk, please. I'd like to get some sleep at some point tonight."

I just smiled and turned to go.

* * *

 **Poor Andrea…**

 **Guess what? I'm meeting Cassandra Clare tomorrow, and I could not be more excited! Most book tours don't take authors close enough to where I live, but she's got a stop only a state over from where I live, so me and a friend are going.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	13. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

I ran into Dustin in the hall. "Hey, Whit. What was wrong with Rea?" He asked. His voice was very concerned.

"Walk with me. She said she wants you to know, too." I said. He followed me to the kitchen and watched as I began getting out our glasses.

"What happened?" Dustin asked quietly. "They noticed you guys weren't with us, but David said you asked to talk to her. You didn't go in with us, so we gave it a few minutes before I came to find you guys."

"When we were at the park, I saw Anita. I left the group as we were leaving the park. I'm pretty sure I broke that bitch's nose. But I also learned why she does what she does, or, at least, part of it. She acts the way she does toward Rea, me, and my family because it gets to Rea. She told me she's going to make her remember that she took everything from her."

"Rea did what?" Dustin asked. I stirred the milk in the pot on the stove.

"She didn't do anything wrong. Anita was lied to and manipulated." I said simply. "And even so, Anita has no right to act the way she does."

"What happened?" Dustin asked.

I sighed, then explained everything Andrea had told me today.

"That is so fucking messed up." Dustin said, running a hand through his hair.

"It is." I agreed. "And I think this is why she always dreads going back home so much. Her family may be unkind and may make snide comments and rude insults sometimes, but I think she's more afraid of being back in that place in her life."

"Yeah, because when she talks about her family, it's more like she's talking about some annoying thing to her. But when she's talking about going home, she always hates it." Dustin said slowly.

I sighed, and handed him the glass of warm milk. "Give this to Rea. I'm going to spend the night with her in her room, but I think she'd like to see her other best friend, too." He took it and walked with me back up to Andrea's room.

* * *

When we entered, Andrea sat up. "Did you tell him?" She asked.

"Yeah." I said softly, sitting beside her. She was in the middle of the larger bed.

Dustin sat on the other side of her and handed her the glass. "Here. Whit got you some milk." She accepted it gratefully and took a sip.

"I want you to know that I'll always be here for you, Rea." I said gently.

"Same deal with me. You don't get to get rid of us, even if you want to. We'll always be here, no matter what. We'll forever annoy you." Dustin said.

Andrea laughed at that. "Nah, you guys aren't as annoying as you try to be. Besides, I think it's more like you'd both be lost without me. You'd never be able to find your way in the world."

Dustin got an indignant look on his face. "Why, that hurts, Rea. That hurts, right here." He placed his hand to his heart.

"You're an idiot." I told him. The look on his face caused Andrea to laugh again as she set the now empty glass on a nightstand. I set my water, which I'd only drunk some of, on the nightstand as well.

"You guys are meanies." Dustin said. "Ganging up on me."

"I think you'll survive." Andrea told him, laying back so her head rested on the pillows. I laid back beside her and wrapped an arm around her. Dustin, on the other side, did the same.

We both knew she just needed us here, and we complied with that. She shifted to be more comfortable, and her breathing fell even soon enough.

"Sweet dreams, Rea." I whispered. "I don't want you to hurt."

"Even if it does hurt, we know her." Dustin said. "It may not be the best feeling in the world, but she'll survive. At least she can do that. I don't want to see her hurt, either."

I soon fell asleep, too. Dustin seemed to be doing the same when I at last drifted off.

* * *

When I woke up, I closed my eyes immediately, heart beating fast. Andrea must've already gotten up, because the only other person on the bed was Dustin, and I was curled into him, my head resting on his chest and my legs tangled with his. Of course Andrea would leave and not wake either of us. Of course she would. I would be having words with her, later.

Barely even thirty seconds later, I felt Dustin move. I felt an arm slip around me, and then he was tracing circles on my back, on the strip of skin that was showing after my shirt rode up sometime in the night. His hand was warm.

I just laid there, not really wanting him to know I was awake. I tried to keep my breathing as even as possible.

Eventually, he shifted again, moving away from me. I just kept still as he got up and left the room.

When I was sure he wasn't coming back to the room, I disappeared back to my own room.

* * *

We spent the next days just hanging out around the manor. Though it was fun, I couldn't help but remember what it was leading up to.

The actual day of the wedding, I laid around in bed until it was time to go the Silent City.

* * *

 **Welcome**. A voice echoed in my mind once we had appeared in the Silent City. The Silent Brother that was to do the pre-ceremony runes was standing in front of David and I.

Neither of us said anything as the Silent Brother produced a stele and took my left hand. He drew the black lines of the wedded union rune onto the back of my hand, and then let my hand drop. He did the same to David's right hand.

 **You are now both considered to be married. The ceremony, as you both know, will take place later tonight in the Accords Hall.** The Silent Brother told us. I only nodded, and was gone away from there, back to my room in the Herondale Manor.

* * *

I took off my boots, laid on top of the blankets on the bed, hugged Dakota's zebra to my chest, and began to silently cry.

I didn't want to marry David. I didn't want to marry anyone. Not now, at sixteen. I'd never even been in a relationship before, never even had a first kiss before. And this wasn't something I could run away from. The prophecy specifically said that I had to perform the ceremony. That I had to do what the stupid Clave told me to and get married. We'd determined that we wouldn't tell them about the godly world until after, and only when we really needed to. Because, judging by the prophecy's words, something was going to happen, and the godly and shadow worlds needed to be united when it came.

I whispered the prophecy aloud, trying to reassure myself that this had to happen and I was saving people by doing this.

"Child of demigods, descended of color and nature

Journey to the land that is to the gods unknown

Where the demon towers stand tall to protect

Perform the ceremony you so bemoan

Son of Apollo, twin separated at birth

To the City of Bones you must go away

Learn more of your blood and heritage

With your twin brother you must stay

To this other world you must travel

Keep them from initiating war

Unite the angels and gods

Or this Earth is done for."

It didn't much reassure me. I closed my eyes and hugged the zebra closer to my chest, my breath evening out as I fell asleep.

* * *

"Come on, Whit, wake up. It's time for you to get ready." Andrea said quietly, shaking me. I opened my eyes and realized I was still hugging the zebra to my body. I carefully set it down on the nightstand, on top of my photo album.

"You go take a shower. Lizzy has your dress and she's going to bring it in for me to get you ready." Andrea told me. I nodded my head and went into the attached bathroom.

Rather than actually shower, I just kind of stood under the water. After a little while, Andrea knocked on the door and asked if everything was okay. I told her it was, and quickly washed my hair and body. I got out, snapped my fingers to remove the water from myself, and slipped on the lacy black lingerie Orianne had given me, setting the box on the sink counter. Andrea must have found it and put it there. I did have to admit, it made me feel sexy, like Orianne had said it would. But it also made me feel safer, having something from my family with me. Then I went into the bedroom.

The dress was beautiful. It was a strapless dress, and the top down to my waist was a smooth body hugging silk material. From my waist down, the skirts of the dress flowed like molten gold, and were made of a more shimmery gold silk material. The skirts trailed slightly on the ground.

Andrea zipped up the back of my dress for me as I admired it in the mirror on the back of the door. I was glad the top piece of the lingerie was strapless as well, or that would've been awkward. And, even though I wanted no part of this, the dress kind of made me feel like a princess.

"Sit at the vanity." Andrea commanded. I did as she said, and watched in the mirror as she began to brush my hair. I wordlessly handed her my jewelled comb, pulling the charm from my bracelet. As she combed through my hair with it, my hair grew longer. She combed until my hair was down to the middle of my back. She set the comb on the nightstand, and I snapped my fingers, returning my hair to its original shade of darkish green.

Andrea put my hair up in a tight braided bun, using Bobby pins to hold it in place. She put the jewelled comb atop the bun, the comb's teeth securing it in the bun. Then she had me turn around on the stool and took a look at me. She picked up the yellow earring set and handed them to me put them on. I put the stud in my right ear, the hoop in the left.

For a finishing touch, Andrea slipped the necklace with the Herondale ring over my neck. It would be returned to David at the wedding.

"And, you're ready." Andrea told me. I got up to look at myself in the mirror on the door again while she quickly got herself ready.

I looked... Amazing. I didn't think I could look this pretty. I mean, I knew I was a little pretty, but I was nowhere near that of an Aphrodite girl. But right now, right now I looked like I could be one of the Aphrodite girls.

"You ready to go?" Andrea asked. She was wearing a tight black dress that went down to about the middle of her thighs, and a pair of black boots that reached just above her knees. She was holding my Polaroid camera.

"Yeah, just let me put on some shoes." I said. I slipped on the tall light brown wedges I'd had to borrow from Lizzy. I quickly buckled the straps that crossed my feet.

I stood back up, and Andrea slipped an arm through mine. We exited the room, and met up with Laila and Lizzy. Aeric, Dustin, and David would already be at the Accords Hall. The four of us girls went downstairs to the entryway, where Clary and Jace were waiting by a portal.

* * *

We all went through, and appeared beside the doors to the Accords Hall. They were open, as the wedding wasn't starting just yet. Clary, Jace, Laila, and Lizzy went in to find their seats, up at the front. They were friends and family, so they got seats closer to the front. I had no idea who half the people in there were, but apparently, they were attending.

Everyone would be inside now, so Andrea and I waited just out of sight, in a nearby hall.

Soon, someone tapped on a microphone, and the crowd quieted. "The wedding will now begin." It was the Inquisitor. Classical music began to play softly.

* * *

 **THE WEDDING WILL NOW BEGIN. NO, SHUT UP INQUISITOR, WE DO NOT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN IT IS SO SAD.**

 **Happy Christmas and Merry Holidays, everyone! Hope you're having a nice day!**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	14. Chapter 13

**This update is a day late, which I'm super sorry about! Yesterday was the last day of my Christmas break, and I spent my day procrastinating on the PS4, playing the newish Spiderman game (that and Horizon Zero Dawn are amazing games), and I then had to stay up late to do my Gatsby reading homework.**

* * *

 _Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl:**_

Soon, someone tapped on a microphone, and the crowd quieted. "The wedding will now begin." It was the Inquisitor. Classical music began to play softly.

* * *

I waited a few moments until the music picked up slightly, my cue to go in. I stepped in front of the open doors, stopping for a moment. All eyes were on me, and I felt very shy, all of a sudden. Andrea took my arm encouragingly, and walked me down the aisle that was strewn with flower petals. I was very careful not to trip over my feet.

When we reached the altar, which a Silent Brother stood behind and David stood beside, Andrea went to her own seat, while David held out a hand and helped me up the few steps. I released his hand as soon was possible, and didn't meet his gaze, instead staring at his hands. There was a small brown birthmark, shaped almost like a sun, probably some little side effect of being a son of Apollo. Dustin had the same one, in the same spot. They were identical twins, but birthmarks didn't always match, and I'd seen other Apollo campers with the same birth and in various places. And I'd also met twins that could only be identified apart by the differently shaped birthmarks on their backs before. It was on the corner of his hand, just below his pinky knuckle.

 **We are gathered to witness the wedding of David Herondale and Whitney Warren Ashton.** The Silent Brother announced. He gently took the necklace from around my neck, removed the ring from the chain, and returned it to David. David slipped it onto his left hand, where he always seemed to wear his family ring.

He turned to David, holding up a golden pillow, on which rested two golden steles.

David took the first, and began to speak softly as he started the first rune on my upper left arm. His voice sounded a little odd. It must've been him trying to block some emotions at what they were forcing us to do, like I was doing. "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame." When he finished the first rune, he started the second, right where my heart was. He was silent, having finished the vows.

When he finished, David set the stele back onto the pillow. The Silent Brother offered the pillow to me, and I took the other stele. I began to quietly recite the vows I'd had to memorize as I started on the rune on his upper left arm. "Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame." I began on the second rune, working silently. When I was done, I set the stele on the pillow.

 **It is done.** The Silent Brother announced. There was applause from the audience, for what, I don't know, this was a forced marriage. I glanced over and saw Andrea hold up the camera. I forced a smile. Might as well get one good picture.

Now that the ceremony was over, everyone sort of migrated to a large ballroom. There were a couple of tables set up, with food and refreshments. I immediately had a piece of the wedding cake. I was hungry, not having had lunch, and the cake looked delicious. Which it also tasted.

Andrea stayed with me, having a slice as well. When we finished, we put the plates in a nearby trashcan. We moved to stand by the wall. A waiter passed by, holding a platter of champagne glasses. I took one, not really caring about the fact that I was underage. If I was going to get through the rest of this day, I was going to need it.

I downed it all in one gulp, while Andrea watched, amused. I made a face, not really liking the bubbles or the flavor. Andrea laughed. Lizzy came over to us as I set the glass on one of the tables.

"They're starting dancing. You've just got to dance with him once, and then you don't have to do anything else but stay here for awhile." Lizzy told me. I groaned but let her lead me off through the crowd.

When we found David, I stepped over to him and set my hands on his shoulders. He set his hands on my waist. I lifted my head from staring at the floor, but didn't look at him, instead opting to stare past him. I felt him looking at me, though. The moment the song was over, I stepped away from him and went to go find Andrea. I felt him watching after me for the first few seconds, before something else caught his attention.

When I reached her, Andrea handed me another glass, holding one in her left hand, as well. I accepted it gratefully, and downed it all at once, setting the glass aside.

* * *

We talked and watched the crowd for the next few or so hours. I have no idea how many glasses of champagne I had. At least I stopped gulping them down, and started sipping them. At some point, people started leaving. I don't think I really noticed, leaning against the wall, not paying attention to anything or anyone but the glass in my hand.

When everyone had gone, the only person still with me in the ballroom was Andrea. She was still sober. She pulled me away, and out into the hall. She dragged me through a portal and we appeared in the entryway of the Herondale Manor.

Andrea shoved me towards David, who seemed to have also just arrived. I stumbled and he caught me before I fell. "She's your problem, now. I've watched her all night." Andrea said, holding her hands up in surrender.

"Why is she a problem at all?" David asked, confused. I started giggling.

"Because that girl downed glass after glass of champagne." Andrea said.

"And you didn't think to stop her?" David asked.

"No. She needed it." Andrea said. I was still giggling. Andrea left.

"Why don't we get you upstairs?" David said, half to himself.

I stumbled and fell over. Then I kicked off the heels and tried to stand again, but I tripped on the edge of the dress. I huffed as I sat there, unable to get up.

David sighed and picked me up, starting up the stairs. I leaned my head on him. I traced patterns on his thin shirt with my index finger. He must've changed from the traditional gear at sometime during the reception.

"Whit, could you please stop?" David asked.

I stopped, lifting my head to look at him. "Why?" I asked.

"Because it's distracting." David said simply.

"What?" I asked.

"I'm not trying to drop you down the stairs, okay?" He said.

"Well, you better know now, mister, you can't go around telling me what to do. I'm your wife, now, and you're stuck with me. So I'm setting you some rules right now." I scolded him, poking him in the chest. He laughed. "What's funny?"

"You're really drunk, Whit." He said. I crossed my arms.

He soon made it to my room, where he set me down gently in a sitting position on the stool of the vanity. He carefully took my earrings out of my ears, probably thinking I'd end up hurting myself if I tried to. Which was probably true. He went behind me, and gently took out the jewelled comb from my hair, setting it on the vanity. He began pulling out Bobby pins, tossing them onto the vanity as well.

When he was done with my hair, and it had fallen down around my shoulder, he took my charm bracelet and set that aside as well. Then he stood me up, and started on the zipper on my dress. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Helping you get to bed. You need to sleep off that alcohol, and probably the hangover you're going to have in the morning." He informed me. I shrugged as he helped me out of the dress.

While he hung the dress on a hanger and put it in the closet, I just stood there, looking around. I was feeling a bit disoriented.

"Whit? Aren't you going to go to bed?" David asked, turning around. I swear I saw him swallow hard when he saw me in the lacy lingerie.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" I asked curiously.

"You're beautiful, Whit." David told me.

I looked down at the ground. "No, I'm not. I'm no Aphrodite girl." I said.

"You are beautiful, Whit." He told me.

I shook my head. "Orianne gave me this. She said everyone should have a set. She said everyone deserved to feel sexy sometimes, even if not in front of someone else. I have to hand it to her, I actually felt sexy earlier. Also safe, because I had something of my family with me. Now I just feel weird and awkward and self conscious."

"Just go to sleep, Whit. You'll feel better tomorrow afternoon, once you get over the morning hangover." David told me. He was amused. I could tell.

I went over to bed and flopped down. I took Dakota's zebra from the nightstand and hugged it close to myself. "You still have a childhood stuffed animal?" He asked.

"No, I got this for my sixteenth birthday. He designed it and picked out all the materials and everything, then had Lydia make it. Dakota's such an adorable eight and half year old." I told him, yawning.

"Well, it's a very pretty blue zebra." David said, coming over and pulling the fluffy comforter over me. It had been pulled down to the edge of the bed. "Now, you get some sleep, okay?"

I didn't say anything. He leaned over and kissed my forehead, before going to the door and turning off the light.

"Wait." I called. He turned to face me. There was a little bit of light coming in from the moon through the window. "Could you stay? Sometimes I can't sleep, but having someone else in the room usually helps. Or Andrea, she can put me to sleep easily."

He came over to the opposite side of the bed, took off his shirt and pants, and laid beside me. I rolled over to face him, and he turned on his side to face me. I leaned my forehead against his chest. "Thank you." I whispered.

"Anything you need." He said, wrapping an arm around me. I hugged my stuffed zebra closer to my body and fell asleep.

* * *

The morning after the wedding, David was gone before I woke up.

We spent the day packing our stuff up, going back to the Institute, and then unpacking our stuff. Well, those of us visiting Texas with Andrea didn't unpack the things we'd need for the week.

After we got back to the Institute, I basically spent my day sleeping. There was a bit of a time change between Idris and New York, though not a large one. But the going from nice fall weather to winter weather didn't exactly help.

* * *

When I woke, I decided I was going to go out and do something. I got ready, and then I left.

The club was packed when I got there. Music blasted, lights bounced, and bodies danced. I switched off the rational side of my mind that said I probably shouldn't be here, and let myself be pulled onto the dance floor.

* * *

Three hours and only the gods know how many drinks later, I was dancing with some hottie when someone grabbed my wrist. I suddenly found myself face to face with Dustin. Or David. In my drunken state, I was unable to tell just yet. Either way, he looked angry.

"Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you! Do you realize how worried we all were?" He asked angrily. Damn. Their voices were too similar. I still couldn't tell whichever one of them it was.

"Dude, she can do whatever she wants. She's not a child." The guy I was dancing with said. His name was Evan? Or Chris?

"You don't know her." The twin shot back.

"Hey, back off." I said, glaring. "I'm obviously fine. And I can do whatever I want. Last I checked, I didn't have to do anything anyone else told me. Besides, I'm sure you'd all somehow know immediately if something happened to me."

"Whit..." He trailed off, obviously trying to think of what to say to get me out of here.

"No. I'll be able to get home on my own after. And I decide when I'm done. Not you or anyone else." I said, pushing him slightly away.

"I'll leave you alone if you can just answer this." He said. I raised an eyebrow at him to continue. "What's my name?"

My lips parted, but no sound came out. I didn't have an answer. I was too drunk to be able to tell whether this was my best friend or my husband. I glanced at his hand, his arm, and his chest, where the runes would be, but each spot was covered up by his outfit and gloves. He noticed, and smirked.

"You're drunk, Whit. And I need to get you home. Come on." He said.

"Fine." I muttered, crossing my arms. "But it's not my fault you're an identical twin and you both sound almost exactly the same."

"You'd know right away if you weren't drunk." He retorted.

* * *

We first stopped by the hall, where the bathrooms and back room were. I wanted a minute to compose myself, though I was still very much drunk.

"Why'd you come here?" He asked curiously.

"You ought to know why, after last night." I muttered.

"So you get drunk one night, and then go out and get drunk again the next, except in a club, where there could be any number of dangers?" He asked.

"I know how to take care of myself." I murmured.

"That's not the point. You could've gotten hurt." He argued.

"I don't need someone watching over me at all times. I'm perfectly capable of being alone and taking care of myself." I countered. "I'm not a child. I'm a powerful being."

He was about to say something, but then his eyes widened and he grabbed for me. I was about to ask what was happening when I was forcefully pulled back and a wet rag was pressed against my face. It smelled weird, and that was my last thought before blacking out.

* * *

When I came to, via a bucket of cold water being rudely splashed against me, I looked around and assessed my surroundings. I was in the back room of the club. And I was hanging upside down by my feet, tied to the ceiling rafters with heavy chains, my wrists were bound in front of me. Thank the gods my dress was skin tight.

I noticed the twin creeping quietly in the corner. He held up a finger to his lips. They mustn't have seen him. He had out a seraph blade, and with his hands now ungloved, I realized it was David. And, if it was David, he might've glamoured himself against them seeing him.

I looked straight ahead, and nearly let out a sigh. "Hello, Kelli. How are you on this fine day?" I asked the empousa. I felt much more clear and level headed than earlier, but kept my voice slurred. Finding yourself in a dangerous situation such as this one, really sobers you up. The water didn't hurt, either. But as long as she still believed me drunk, I had an advantage, however small.

"Shut it, legacy. You're not in power here." She hissed.

"That never stopped me from killing you and your friends the twenty times I've already done it." I said.

"That is an exaggeration!" She screeched. "Three times! You have bested me three times! And you wouldn't have been able to without the help of your friends, two of those times."

"I could take you now." I muttered. She heard me, and gave an ugly laugh.

"You believe you could take me, drunk and tied up?" She asked.

"Let me down from this ceiling, and I could do it. I wouldn't even have to have you untie my hands." I challenged.

"Very well, then." Kelli said. "Let her down." Someone unseen behind me let go of the chain, and I crashed to the floor, barely managing to twist myself so that I didn't land on my head.

I pulled myself up, kicking the now undone chains away from my feet. "Need a moment?" Kelli asked sweetly.

"I've got all the time in the world." I declared.

"I think not, legacy. Your time has just about run out." She told me.

She took a step toward me, only to step to the side. David had come up behind her, and had been about to strike at her when she stepped aside. He instead lost his balance and fell into me, knocking us both over. On the plus side, the seraph blade cut the bonds on my wrists.

I pushed David off and stood up, yanking the rest of the rope off of my wrists. He stood up beside me, holding up his blade. I straightened up and brushed myself off. Now was no longer a time to keep up the act.

"Naughty little legacy. That was meant to be you and me, not you and your friends. Good thing I have friends, too." Kelli admonished, stepping toward us.

I was suddenly grabbed from behind. I couldn't tell who or what it was. David raised his blade, but I gave him a look that told him not to do anything or he'd get us both killed.

* * *

 **Kelli is one mean empousa.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	15. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _**More Than A Girl:**_

I was suddenly grabbed from behind. I couldn't tell who or what it was. David raised his blade, but I gave him a look that told him not to do anything or he'd get us both killed.

* * *

"What do you want, Kelli?" I asked.

"What I want is to finally defeat you, once and for all. After all, though I can return as many times as I'd like, a mortal like yourself can only die once." Kelli informed me.

"So do it, then. Kill me. Kill me and get this crazy vendetta over with." I told her. David shot me a surprised glance, but I didn't look his way.

"That is what I want. But I've got other orders. My master has plans for you, darling." Kelli told me.

"Master?" I asked. "Who are you working for, Kelli?"

"You'll find out in time, legacy. For now, it is of no matter. Just know that he needs you to finally complete his plans." Kelli told me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. She didn't answer me, turning her gaze on David, licking her lips.

He raised his blade. "I won't hurt you, pretty boy. I just want a kiss." She said innocently. The blade clattered to the floor. "Come here." She beckoned him with a finger. He took an unsteady step towards her. At least we were a good half the room away from her.

"You're an idiot, Herondale. You don't just drop your weapon when faced with the enemy." I told him loudly.

"Quiet her." Kelli demanded. The monster behind me clamped a meaty hand over my mouth. Kelli beckoned to David, and he took another step.

I bit down on the monster's hand. It's blood burned my mouth, but I paid it no mind as it yanked it's hand away. "She's going to kill you." I told Dustin.

"Now, why would I do that? I just want a kiss." She said. He took another step. I had to snap him out of it.

"You moronic, stupid, idiot!" I exclaimed. "She's going to literally eat you!"

"Oh, she's just a jealous one." Kelli said with a smirk. "Always trying to drag others away from any happiness they might find with someone other than her."

"Kelli, you may be smart in some cases, but you are beyond moronic right now." I told her. "It's not jealousy when he's literally my fucking husband."

He snapped out of it as Kelli turned to me in surprise. Before she could say anything, he had his seraph blade back in his hand and had shoved it through her chest. She disappeared in a cloud of golden dust. David dropped the blade again, fell to his knees, and stared at the floor. I didn't get a chance to ponder the action.

Now that Kelli was gone, we had this thing behind me to deal with. I stomped on it's foot, jerking an elbow back at the same time. It released me, and I rushed forwards, away from it. I reached David and turned to see that I had been held by the Minotaur. It began pawing at the ground, obviously readying itself to charge.

I grabbed a dagger from my bracelet and threw it. The Minotaur turned to dust. I was about to turn to David when something clamped down on my wrist. I yanked my hand back, only to yank David with it. I looked over my shoulder to see the boy I'd earlier been dancing with. And, judging by the thing on my wrist, he'd just handcuffed me to David.

"What the Hades are you?" I asked.

"Oh, your dear mortal friend is just my current host." He said, voice dark and hard. He reached and pulled something from his eyes - colored contacts. Beneath them, his eyes were gold.

"Eidolon." I growled.

"Such a shame you never noticed, really." He said, a smirk playing at his lips.

"Get out of that mortal. He did nothing to you." I said.

"I don't think so. You may not be able to or want to hurt mortals, but I can and will gladly." He informed me. He stepped close to us, and made a quick movement with his hand. David cried out. I realized belatedly that he'd twisted a knife sticking out of David's stomach. I wanted to throw up. Kelli must've gotten him when he attacked her again. And I didn't see it. Oh my gods.

"My master won't be pleased that Kelli failed, but don't you worry, he'll be back for you." He informed me. He left the room and was gone.

I immediately turned to David. I helped him to sit, and then lay down on the ground. The easiest way for me to help him from there was to sit atop him, straddling his waist, so I did that.

"Okay, I'm going to have to pull it out. We don't know if there's anything on it." I told him gently. He just groaned in pain. Before I pulled it out, I looked around for something that could staunch the blood flow. I didn't see anything around, so I shrugged off my dress. Thankfully, the left side, the shoulder-less side, was the handcuffed side, which made it easy to pull the dress off. David groaned in pain again, probably because I was jostling him.

"I'm going to do it now, okay?" I asked.

David lifted his head slightly to look at me. His eyes were filled with pain and what looked to be slight confusion. I couldn't really tell. It was a bit dark in the room, the only light being a small sliver of moonlight from the window.

I gently set a hand on the knife, and pulled it out quickly. I tossed it aside, replacing it with the dress, and pressed hard, but not so hard that I was hurting him. Much. It was going to hurt some no matter what.

"Do you have your stele on you?" I asked, carefully brushing a damp lock of hair away from his forehead. He lifted his head and shook it. "That's alright, I probably wouldn't be able to do much. I barely know what an iratze looks like."

I looked around the room again. If I couldn't use a stele to heal him, what could I use? Then it hit me.

If I could take runes, at least, the wedding ones, he should be able to take nectar, right? It should work. And, he was still the son of a god, even though he had no godly blood. But he had angelic, and that had to count for something, right?

Now, where could I get some nectar or ambrosia? Not the infirmary at camp - too many questions from too many people. But I couldn't just sit here and let him bleed out on the floor of a night club.

"That's it." I murmured. "I've got some in my cabin." I looked down at David. He'd gone very pale.

"Come on, stay with me. Stay awake." I told him, brushing a hand over his cheek. His eyes, about to close, opened a little. "That's it. You're gonna be fine." I transported us while I spoke to him. He didn't seem to notice, only staring at me and not noticing when we were suddenly on my bed.

I leaned over towards the nightstand and grabbed the flask of nectar from the drawer. I set it beside me, tossing away the now ruined dress. I began to carefully peel his shirt away from the wound, having to rip it to get it completely off. I found that I also had to tug his jeans down, as they were partially in the way. I paid it no attention, tossing them aside. I was focused, I was going to heal him. Thankfully, though, his boxers were not in the way.

I picked up the flask of nectar and poured some of it over his wound, careful not to pour too much. I also dribbled a little into his mouth. The wound slowly started to heal. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until it finished healing, leaving an ugly pink scar that would fade to white with time.

David opened his eyes and looked up at me as I capped the flask and returned it to it's spot in my nightstand. I also slid off my charm bracelet and set it on the nightstand. I wouldn't need it again tonight. "Do you feel better?" I asked him, sitting back up.

"Yeah." He answered, lifting himself into a sitting position. A position which was just a bit more awkward than the previous one of me straddling him while he lay beneath me. Granted, he had been bleeding out, but still, awkward.

"What'd the nectar taste like?" I asked. "It's supposed to taste like your favorite thing."

"Oranges." He said. Huh, same thing as Dustin's. Those two were so alike, yet so different.

"Oranges are good." I agreed.

"You should take some, if that stuff heals. Your face and mouth, they're all burned." He said quietly, lifting a hand to brush his fingertips lightly across the marks on my face.

"I'll be fine. I've had worse." I said, shaking my head.

"Whit. Please." His voice was equal parts desperation, caring, and something I couldn't place. I started to shake my head, but his continued gaze on mine finally made me relent.

I picked up the flask again and took a small sip. I set the flask aside as I felt the nectar begin its work. "Happy now?" I asked. He nodded.

"Very." He said quietly. A moment of silence. "What's it taste like to you?" He asked curiously.

"Apples." I said. "Not ones you'd usually find at a store, though. Fresh, dirty, right off the tree apples. Like the ones back at the farm." I sighed. I missed my home, even though I'd been away for longer. I'd moved away, even. But with everything with the shadow world, it all felt forever ago.

"What was all that at the club? Who were they?" David finally asked. I hesitated for a moment. I couldn't tell him about the godly world. Not yet.

"I've made some enemies in my time. Kelli being one of them. They were demons, they're dead now and have been returned to their home dimension until they escape back here again." I told him. Half truth. Better than outright lies.

"What was that you healed me with?" He asked.

"I'm half warlock. I've got a few tricks up my sleeves." I told him.

With a start, I realized he was staring at me. I opened my mouth, but he spoke first. "Whit." The only word he uttered was my name, and his voice was low and somewhat deep.

Then, David did something that completely surprised me. He pulled me to his chest and kissed me.

I did something to surprise myself even more. I kissed him back, and let him push me onto my back on the bed with him on top of me.

* * *

We were going to leave for Texas on the second of December. We decided to leave late in the afternoon, so that we could spend as little time there as possible. We would leave on the morning of the ninth.

At the moment, Andrea was sitting on my bed, facing me. We were painting each other's nails, a towel placed between us to prevent spills on the bed. She was painting my nails silver and we were talking.

"So, we have five rooms, and everyone can have their own room if they want, but I wanted to ask if you'd share a room with me." Andrea said.

"Of course, Rea. I'd love to share a room with you." I told her. She smiled.

There was a lull in the conversation for a few moments. Then I spoke. "I slept with David."

She dropped the nail polish, succeeding in not only spilling some on the towel, but also leaving a streak across a couple of my fingers. She quickly picked it up to keep from making more of a mess.

"What?" She asked, capping the nail polish and setting it aside for the bottle of remover.

"I don't even know." I sighed.

"What happened?" Andrea asked.

"Kelli happened." I told her.

"You saw Kelli again?" Andrea asked, looking up from my hands.

"She's dead now. So is our good friend, the Minotaur." I told her. Andrea smiled.

"So, start from the beginning, and tell me everything." Andrea said, setting back to work on my nails, having removed the nail polish from my skin.

"I was at the club. I was drunk. David found me except I couldn't even tell which of them it was. When he realized that, he made me leave. We stopped near the back so I could compose myself, but then someone had me from behind and I was knocked out. I woke in the back room, hanging upside down from the ceiling. It was Kelli. She let me down when I muttered something about being able to beat her with my hands still tied. But David tried to attack her, and she just stepped out of the way. It cut the rope off my wrists, though, when he fell into me." I started.

"What all did Kelli end up doing?" Andrea asked.

"Well, her friend, the Minotaur, held me while she tried to use her charm on David. I managed to snap him out of it. He killed Kelli, and then he just like fell. I managed to get away from the Minotaur and kill it with a thrown dagger." I continued. "But then something was on my wrist, and when I moved it, I found I'd been handcuffed to David by an eidolon. He told me that their master wasn't going to be pleased at Kelli's failure to bring me to him, but he left saying that his master would eventually get me or whatever."

Andrea frowned. "I don't like the sound of that." She muttered.

"I don't either. It sounds like it's whoever is the evil from the prophecy, though." I said.

"That would make sense." Andrea agreed. "So, how does this get to you slept with David?"

"Apparently, Kelli stabbed him in the stomach before she died. Before the eidolon left, he twisted the knife. I helped David lay down and I took the knife out. I didn't have anything else on me or nearby, so I had to take off my dress to stop the bleeding." I explained. "He didn't have his stele, not that I probably could have used it, anyways, so I brought us back to my cabin, because I knew I had some nectar. I thought that if I could take the runes I have, he could take a little nectar."

"Did it work?" Andrea asked.

"Yeah." I said. "And then he made me take some because I'd gotten a little hurt. Though, when he asked what it was, I told him I'm a warlock and had a few tricks up my sleeve. And when he asked about Kelli, I just said they were demons and that I'd fought her before. He didn't seem suspicious of anything."

"Do you know what the next tasted like for him?" Andrea asked.

"Oranges." I said.

"Same as Dustin, then." Andrea observed. She set my hand aside and began on the other.

"And then... He was staring at me. All he said was my name. And... And he kissed me. I kissed him back. I don't even know why. It's not like I was drunk anymore, the whole fight with Kelli, not to mention her waking me with a bucket of cold water, that all sobered me pretty well." I finished.

"And it just happened?" Andrea asked. I nodded. A grin appeared on her face. "So, was he any good?"

"Rea!" I exclaimed.

"Watch your nails." She warned. "Also, you have to know I would've asked you that no matter who it was."

"Well..." I hesitated.

"You liked it." She said, smiling.

"Okay, it was really good." I admitted.

"C'mon, give me some details." She pried.

"Well..." I hesitated, but she was my best female friend. I told her everything, before changing the subject. "Now, enough about my messed up relationship. Let's talk about yours."

"You mean my non-existent relationship?" Andrea asked.

"Rea, you totally like him." I said. "I know you well enough to see it."

"And who in the world is it that you think I like?" Andrea asked.

"Flint." I said. She froze, but the blush on her face was all the confirmation I needed.

"I don't like him." She finally said.

I snorted. "That's a lie. I've seen the way you look at him." I told her. "And, in all honesty, I think he might like you, too."

"He calls everyone by the pet names." She said.

"So I've noticed." I said. "But I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about he looks at you and how he acts around you. And how he's always concerned for you when he sees you upset."

"He's seen me upset like once. It's just him being polite." Andrea said.

"I don't think so." I said.

"Whatever. I'm done. Let those dry, then I'll do the top coat." Andrea said. I set my hands on my lap to wait.

"You're just in denial." I told her.

* * *

 **She TOTALLY likes him. She's just in denial.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	16. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

The door opened before she could respond. Lizzy as standing there. "We leave in like half an hour. Will you guys be ready by then?" She asked.

"Yeah. Whit's just gotta let the nail polish dry so I can do the clear coat." Andrea said.

"Alright." Lizzy nodded and left the room.

* * *

When we got to Texas, we actually arrived at a bus station a little ways away from the town, and then took that to the town. Then we just walked to Andrea's home, seems the town was small. Though, there were a couple of rich families with large properties, Andrea's being one of them.

When we got there, Andrea brought us immediately to the guest house. She had a key and knew all the codes to get into the property, so we didn't need to go see her family just yet.

As far as rooms went, Andrea and I shared one, Flint had his own, and Dustin and David decided to share a room. When everyone was unpacked, Andrea brought us all to the main house, and knocked on the door.

A girl that looked a little like Andrea, who must've been eighteen or nineteen, answered the door. She looked at Andrea with disgust, then turned around and shouted. "Pa! Andrea's home!"

"And how have you been, Mallory?" Andrea asked.

"I been just fine. Without you here." Mallory replied.

She caught sight of Flint and smiled widely at him. He gave a small smile in return, trying not to be rude. The look on Andrea's face was priceless.

Matthew was at the door soon. He was a tall man, with dark hair and hazel eyes.

"You're here." He said.

"Yeah, we got here right on time, pa." Andrea said. He gave her a stiff hug, then stepped back.

"Come on in, the family's all already here." He said. We followed him into a large living room, that had a bunch of people.

An older lady sitting on a couch and holding a glass of wine spoke. "Andrea, dear, there you are! Why don't you introduce your friends?"

"Well, this is my best friend, Whit." Andrea started, gesturing to me. She gestured to each of us as she spoke. "That's my other best friend, Dustin. That's his twin, David. And that's a friend, Flint."

Then she turned to us and pointed out each of her family members. Two aunts, four uncles, a grandmother, three great aunts, six cousins, four second cousins, a great uncle, and two great grandparents. All from her pa's side of the family, whether born or married into the family.

"Are those tattoos?" One of uncles asked, pointing to the runes on David, Flint, and I.

I held up a hand and snapped my fingers. "You see our runes as brown, not black." I said, manipulating the mist. They all nodded. "They're not real tattoos. It's henna."

"So," Mallory said, taking a seat by her father. "Have you found yourself a boyfriend yet, Andrea?"

"No, I have not, Mallory. And that's none of your business, anyways." Andrea said with a resigned sigh.

"It's a shame no one wants you. But after everything you did, who would? I wouldn't want someone who did any of that." Mallory said, taking a sip from a glass. Behind Andrea, Dustin tensed up, ready to fight someone. I set a hand on his arm to calm him, though I wanted nothing more than to punch her lights out myself.

"Mallory, can you maybe just stay out of my life for one single second? I'd really appreciate it." Andrea said.

"But your life is so interesting, baby sister." Mallory said.

"Why don't you all tell us about your families?" One of Andrea's cousins asked. "You've now seen her family."

"I was adopted." Dustin said.

"I grew up with my grandparents after our mom died. Flint's our cousin. I actually recently met Dustin." David said.

"I grew up here in Texas, not too far from here, with my mom and dad." Flint offered.

"What about you?" The cousin asked me.

"I grew up with my mom's brother and his wife. And their son." I said with a shrug.

"Where do you all live?" A great grandparent asked.

"Whit, Dustin, and I live at Camp." Andrea said.

"I live here in Texas." Flint said.

"And I live in New York." David finished.

There was a little more talk, then Andrea's stepfather dismissed her, saying we didn't have to stay there. Andrea looked so relieved to go.

* * *

When we got back to the guest house, we all went up to Andrea and I's room. Flint asked about a boarded up door down the hall. Andrea's only response was "It's too easy to break into." I set a comforting hand on her arm.

Andrea and I sat on her bed, and Dustin sat with us. Flint took a desk chair and David flopped down on a bean bag in the corner.

"What was that, in there, sweetheart?" Flint asked. "Your sister saying no one wants you. That's cruel."

A tear slid down her cheek. I leaned over and hugged her. "It's okay, Rea." I whispered.

"It's... Something that happened a long time ago. No one in this town liked me before it happened, and everyone just jumped on the chance to hate me when it happened. They don't know what actually happened. None of them do." Andrea said, shaking her head. "I'd rather not talk about it."

Flint, thankfully, did not ask further.

We all talked for awhile before deciding to go to bed. The boys left and Andrea and I got changed and ready for bed before turning off the lights and lying down.

* * *

The next five days followed a sort of pattern. Andrea had to spend breakfast and dinner with her family, so, naturally, we joined her, but the rest of the day was spent doing whatever. We ended up mostly just staying in the guest house.

On the sixth day, we decided to go into the city to visit Flint's favorite diner. He said you've never tasted real food unless you'd eaten there. It was called Barb's Barbecue.

We ended up seated in a booth beside a large window. Flint, Andrea, and I sat on one side, while Dustin and David sat on the other.

Flint greeted the waiter when he came over, obviously knowing him. "Hey, Noah."

"Hey, Flint. I thought you weren't coming back from your visit to that obscure country your family lives in for at least another few weeks?" He asked.

"I'm only back for this week. Going back tomorrow, actually." Flint replied.

"Alright, what can I get you guys to drink?" Noah asked. Flint ordered a water. When Andrea looked up to order, her gaze locked with his and she started shaking. He smiled. "Long time no see, eh, Andrea? Did you miss me?"

The look on Andrea's face was one of pure and unadulterated terror. I realized that this was the guy who had been dating Anita.

I was out of my seat in seconds. I punched him square in the face. He stumbled back. "What the hell was that for?" He exclaimed.

"I think you know exactly what you did." I said, crossing my arms. Dustin looked like he wanted to punch him, too, but he was stuck on the inside of the booth.

Noah glanced back to Andrea, then to me. "I did nothing wrong." He said. "I don't know what she told you, but she likes to lie. She lied to both me and Anita."

"You're the fucking liar, here." I spat. "You lied to everyone in that town when you spread those rumors around. And then when things didn't go your way, you lied to your girlfriend, too. Who, by the way, now hates Andrea's guts because she thinks everything's her fault when it's all your fault."

"What did you do, Noah?" Flint asked. He seemed torn between who to believe. Andrea, beside him, was shaking and crying.

"I didn't do a single thing." Noah said, holding his hands up in surrender.

I wanted to tell him exactly what he did, but there were other people here, and I wasn't going to say anything without Andrea's permission.

As it turns out, I didn't have to, though.

Andrea turned to Flint. "He broke into my home and threatened me with a gun, told me either I could be with him or I could die, and when I fought back when he tried to kill me, he told everyone I had thrown myself at him." She said quietly. Flint's eyes widened, and he looked sick. Then he looked angry, turning back to look at Noah.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked.

"She's lying. Just ask anyone in her home town." Noah said.

Andrea got up out of her seat and stood beside me. "None of them know because you're a manipulative bastard! You threatened to kill me and I was so afraid that you were going to come back again that I didn't tell anyone!"

"I suppose you'll next tell me you didn't kill that child so that Anita and I couldn't raise it?" Noah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What child?" Andrea asked. "There was never any child!"

"Tell that to Anita." Noah suggested.

"You fucking bastard!" Andrea exclaimed. I realized that Noah must've told Anita that Andrea had been pregnant and killed the child. It definitely made Anita's actions a lot more understandable, though still horrible and not excusable.

Noah didn't say anything. Andrea went on. "I refused to talk to you after the one time I kissed you because I hadn't known you were cheating on her. I was so happy when I saw you two back together, because I thought maybe you'd just made a mistake. She was so in love with you, you know? And then you spread those rumors around, and she changed her entire self to try to be enough for you. She didn't stop loving you. But you just kept playing with her. You manipulated her into thinking that I threw myself at you, that I did everything. You manipulated her into thinking I took everything from her, when, really, she didn't even have it in the first place. You manipulated her into thinking that she finally had someone to care about her, and that I took that away from her." Andrea said. Her voice lowered. "And she's made my life hell for it."

Noah was surprised at that last sentence. "You've seen her since?" He asked.

"She moved to camp a year after everything happened. She saw me there, and she's been cruel to me ever since, because of what you made her believe." Andrea said. "But you want to know something else? She's been cruel to Whit too, and she messes with her family, too. All because she knows it gets to me. And that is all your fault. She should be responsible for her own actions, but you're the one who caused every single last one."

Then Andrea did something we all did not expect. She kicked him where it hurts, turned around, and left the diner. I followed after her quickly, not bothering to hide my smile at the way he fell, and at the fact that she'd worn the steel toed combat boots.

* * *

When we got back to the guest house, Flint followed us into our room. He sat beside Andrea on the bed while I went to the closet to find a more comfortable outfit, seeing as I knew we'd be staying at the house for the rest of the visit, which was just tonight.

"Did he really do all those things?" Flint asked. Andrea nodded. "I'm sorry I was ever friends with him, doll."

"You didn't know. No one did." Andrea said. "I only even told Whit and had her tell Dustin that day she saw Anita at the park."

"What exactly did he... Do?" Flint asked hesitantly.

I pulled the door to the walk in closet mostly closed to get changed while she told him what she'd told me. I heard him comforting her when she cried, after.

* * *

The next morning, we all got up early so we could leave as soon as possible. Andrea had to go through the torture of hugging every single family member before she could leave, because they all made sure to get up even earlier so she couldn't have an excuse for leaving without seeing them.

When we finally did get away, we took a bus out of town and then I transported us back to the Institute. We all unpacked, then pretty much slept off the time change. There was going to a Clave meeting later that night, and I think we all agreed to only get up when it was time to go.

I'd heard that you only attended meetings if you were at least eighteen, but I guess they changed it to sixteen, if we were all going. And they made a special acceptance for us to bring Dustin and Andrea. Dustin because of how much his family was fighting the Clave for them to let him be there when he wanted, being the son of a shadowhunter, and Andrea, something being mentioned about clear sighted mundanes working for shadowhunters.

* * *

The moment I started to pay attention to the meeting was when a man appeared on the stage. He was sort of tall, had messy brown hair, and blue eyes. And he was familiar, in an I-am-pretty-sure-I-have-never-seen-you-before kind of way.

The Consul stepped towards him. "Who are you, and how did you get a portal past the wards?" He asked angrily. The Inquisitor, standing beside him, she looked equally angry.

The man held up a dismissive hand. "I'm looking for someone." He said. His voice was oddly familiar, as well. He scanned the crowd, eyes finally landing on me. A smirk appeared on his face. "Don't you recognize me, Whitney? I'm ashamed. We are family, after all."

I stood, crossing my arms, as I realized who he was. "You really expect me to recognize you on the spot, when I've only ever seen you once, within the first week I was born, every other time being outdated pictures? If I recall correctly, you hated us all, and you always made sure you weren't around when we visited, and moved out the moment it was possible, cutting all contact with any of us. I mean, you turned eighteen and left, while Mika was still pregnant. Sage has grown up, never once meeting his older brother. Do you know how much that hurts him?" I asked. A look flashed across his eyes, too quickly for me to discern what it was.

"I was young and stupid. I felt my parents did not care for me, and that wasn't helped by the fact that I thought my cousin, who had never once bothered to try to meet me, was dumping another child on my parents. And it didn't help that they hadn't thought to tell me I was going to have another sibling. Like I said that day, Orianne was enough." He explained. I didn't let on that his talking about her like that upset me.

"She lived around fifteen hours away for most of her life after she was adopted. That's a little bit inconvenient." I said.

"Jay made the trip. As did Whitney, occasionally, though she visited less once she adopted Lyric." He told me. "And the only two times she visited after moving up were to see Whitney who was visiting us, and to spend time with family."

"Family, as in you as well. And she only visited twice because she didn't even live that long after moving up. What was it, only a month or so?" I shot back.

"Details, details." He said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Why are you here, Benjamin?" I asked.

"I prefer Ben, if you will." He informed me.

"Okay, why are you here, Ben?" I asked.

"What? Not excited to see your mother's cousin?" He mocked.

"Not in the least. If anything, wary." I told him.

"I've come to ask you to join me." Ben said.

* * *

 **OOOHHH, CLIFFHANGER!**

 **Finals are this week and that sucks, but I'm getting thru. Good luck to anyone else that has to do those.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	17. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me,_ _Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl**_ :

"I've come to ask you to join me." Ben said.

* * *

"Join you? What are you talking about? And why would I do that?" I asked, confused.

"You come with me, join me, and I can bring them back." Ben said. Two spirits flickered into view beside him. My parents.

"Mom? Dad?" I asked.

"It's us, baby." My mother said.

"All I need, Whitney, is a little bit of your blood." Ben said. I took an uncertain step forward.

"Whit, don't do it. I've got a bad feeling about this. And people don't just come back." Dustin said, tone warning.

I turned back to face him. "Nico brought Hazel back." I argued.

"That was different, Whit, and you know it." Andrea said.

"They brought my own godmother back, and that was before she had even beaten him, and then when she did defeat him, proceeded to reward her and her friends." I protested. "But what did they do for my mother, after she destroyed him and eliminated a huge threat to them? They wanted to punish her. Probably wanted to throw her in the Fields of Punishment. The only reason they didn't is because she knew she was dying, and because they're scared of her mother!"

"She angered the gods by ordering them around. I'm not justifying their actions, but Whit, this isn't as good as it seems." Andrea said.

"Don't you guys understand? I can get them back. Why wouldn't I do it?" I asked. I turned back around and walked slowly up onto the stage and to my parents. I didn't understand why my friends wouldn't want me to be able to know my parents and to have them back. They'd both lost their mothers at birth, so they at least understood.

My mother pressed her lips against my hair for a moment before stepping back and speaking. "Remember what we said, baby? You just have to let things happen, and everything will be alright." I took an alarmed step back, remembering her warning. She said not to join him no matter what happened. I took another step back.

I looked at Ben. "I'm not joining you." I said. I took another step back.

He only smiled cruelly, and whipped out a knife. Before I knew what had happened, he had grabbed my hand and cut deep, down to the bone. I didn't scream or utter a single noise, only stared in shock at my hand. It wasn't registering in my brain what had just happened.

He retrieved a bowl from his jacket and let my blood drip into it. I tried yanking my hand away, but his grip was strong. The moment he let go, I yanked my hand away, cradling it to my chest. I backed away, almost falling down the steps off the stage in my hurry. The spirits of my parents followed me.

My mother reached for my hand, pulled a dagger charm off my bracelet, and hurled the weapon at her cousin. It sank hilt deep in his chest, piercing one of his lungs. He dropped the bowl, and whatever was in his other hand fell into it. "You've lost, Lyric. He will rise." Ben coughed out. Even as a spirit, my mother was strong enough to manipulate objects.

"I destroyed him sixteen years ago." My mother said.

"Doesn't matter." Ben said. He fell to one knee as darkness swirled through the room, before coalescing into a figure on the stage. I gasped in shock. It was the man from the nightmares that woke me every year on the anniversary of the death of my parents, except he actually had eyes and a mouth.

"Recognize me?" He asked, laughing, a deep and horrendous sound.

"You're in my nightmare." I said.

"Yes, but none of that is nightmare, as you previously thought. It's all memory. I did so happen to take you from your mother after you were born." He said, inspecting his nails.

"What in Hades' name did you do to me?" I screamed.

"Left you a little reminder for every year. A little parting gift, before Lyric here decided to go and destroy me, before the gods spread my essence." He said with a shrug.

"How are you back? You should never have been able to reform again." My mother said.

"Your dear cousin Ben here has restored me. All it took this time around was the blood of Physis. And, seems he couldn't get ahold of an immortal being, or you, seems you're dead, the blood of your daughter worked nicely. After all, nature is very life-giving." He said. "Anyhow, you don't have to worry for the moment. I've got regain my strength, and I'm not going to go for the mortal world this time. Not until I've taken down the gods. That's where I went wrong before."

"You won't defeat them. You'll be destroyed again." My father said.

"Oh, but I've actually risen this time, without anyone able to use my power to banish me again. All I must do now is get to Olympus and assume my true form, something you'll never be able to stop me doing." He announced. "Well, I really must be getting back to my pit. I must see how much of a mess Kampê has made in my absence. Great at keeping the armies of hell in line, that one, after all those years as a jailer."

"You were defeated twice, you'll be defeated again, Tartarus." My mother called. He only laughed, before he was gone, leaving behind a dark shadow of himself for only a moment before it too, disappeared. He took Ben's body with him.

My mother turned around to face me, as did my father. I noticed that their ghostly blue white spirit looks were being replaced by color. In a moment, they both were no longer spirits, but flesh and blood.

"Mom?" I asked. "Dad?"

She looked down at herself, and then at my father. "Oh my gods, we're alive again." She whispered. Then I collapsed from the pain.

* * *

Moments later, I was watching from outside of my body.

"Dustin Herondale, get your ass over here and heal my child!" My father called. Dustin was out of his seat in a moment and by me. Andrea followed.

I sat down on the ground, and Dustin knelt down in front of my body, carefully placing my hand between his. A yellow light began to emanate from Dustin's hands.

It took Dustin ten minutes to heal my hand, but I could tell that doing it so fast took a lot out of him. By the time he was done, he was pale and slightly shaking, and I was back in my body. When he went to stand, I grabbed his hand and kept him sitting, because he needed to conserve his strength. Andrea dug a piece of ambrosia out of a baggie in her pocket and gave it to him. He ate it gratefully.

"Mind explaining what has just happened?" The Inquisitor called, glancing distastefully at blood stains on the stage.

"Maybe later." Andrea called as I cursed.

"We need to get to camp. We need to warn everyone." I said, looking at Andrea and Dustin, getting up and helping them up.

"You may not leave until you explain what is going on here." The Consul called.

"Laila, we explained it all to you. But right now, we really do need to go." Dustin said, looking over to where Laila sat in her seat, watching us carefully. "The Silent Brothers know, too."

"If you're wondering who that was, that was Tartarus. He's really evil. He keep trying to use us demi primordials to rise. Apparently, he's succeeded this time without the drawbacks he had before. Thank the gods he didn't have to force my child to marry him like he did me and Nikita. Though, I'll be having some words with you and your entire government, forcing my child into marriage." My mother said. Her voice was loud and clear in the silence of the room. "Do you even know who I am? What I could do? What my child could do?"

My father spoke up next. "And if we don't go warn camp soon, Olympus will fall, the world will end, and even this little magical country won't keep you all from dying."

"What?" The Inquisitor asked.

Any further explanation was cut off by the doors to the giant room slamming open. I almost did a double take at what I saw. Rachel was just sliding off a Pegasus, and was making her way toward the five of us demigods as if she had all the time in the world.

"Rachel?" Andrea asked. "What are you doing here? How did you even get here? And so quickly?"

Rachel didn't answer as she came near and stopped. Green mist swirled, and she spoke in a rasping voice.

"United front of angels and gods

Allies in a time of great need

Work to protect your homes

Warning of great danger you must heed

Descendants of the angels above

Leave the city where you roam

Fight alongside those of godly heritage

Help them to protect their home

Fight against the evil newly risen

Protect Mount Olympus at every cost

The final act made by a god unknown

Protect Mount Olympus or all is lost."

Rachel passed out, and Dustin lunged forward to catch her as the mist disappeared. She came to a few moments later, and Dustin helped her stand.

"I did it again, didn't I?" Rachel asked. I nodded. "This damned spirit forcing me halfway across the world on an uncomfortable Pegasus ride!" She muttered.

"What was that?" The Inquisitor demanded.

"The Spirit of the Oracle of Delphi has spoken." I announced. My voice rang throughout the room. "And it looks like you all have to leave your city to help us defend our own magical city in New York. Or else we all die."

"You cannot just order an evacuation or army sent from Alicante or Idris." The Consul sneered.

"Actually, she can." Andrea called, gesturing at Rachel. "The Oracle's kinda even higher than the gods, which means she's probably higher than your angels. Apollo himself can't see as far as she can with prophecies, and he's the god of prophecy."

"What does this so called 'prophecy' entail, then?" The Inquisitor asked disgustedly.

"You send an army to New York to help us protect the Empire State Building, above which is Mount Olympus. We'll also set up our own armies, we've got two we can call on. The Greek and Roman camps. You help us until this unknown god makes the final act and either saves us, or damns us all." Dustin explained.

"We'll set up a correspondence." My mother declared. "For now, we've got to warn our camps, because even if he won't attack himself, there's no telling whether he'll send monsters to our borders as he did both times before. And the gods need to be warned, though they probably felt his rise."

Taking that as our cue to leave, I moved us demigods and Rachel and the Pegasus, removing us from the room and placing us at Camp.

* * *

We appeared on the porch to the Big House. We had my parents get inside quickly, though, because we didn't know how people would react if they saw someone who was supposed to be dead.

Rachel thanked the Pegasus and gave him an apple, then followed the rest of us inside.

"Chiron." My mom called. The centaur looked up from his book, and his jaw dropped.

"Lyric." He said. "Kiernan."

"Yeah, still not too sure about how that happened, but important news." My dad said. He turned to me.

"Tartarus has risen again. He's going to go straight to Olympus. We explained things to the Clave, a little, but I don't know if they believe us. Hopefully the Silent Brothers can explain more." I explained.

"We'll have to call for help from Camp Jupiter, too, then. They were attacked both times, as well, but we must protect Olympus." Chiron finally said. "I'll call the war council."

When we were all gathered, my parents joining us but hanging in the back so as not to be noticed, Chiron spoke. "Something very grave has happened, but I think it would be best for you to explain how the first prophecy went, and then what the second was." So he'd noticed Rachel leave, then.

Dustin recited the first one.

"Child of demigods, descended of color and nature

Journey to the land that is to the gods unknown

Where the demon towers stand tall to protect

Perform the ceremony you so bemoan

Son of Apollo, twin separated at birth

To the City of Bones you must go away

Learn more of your blood and heritage

With your twin brother you must stay

To this other world you must travel

Keep them from initiating war

Unite the angels and gods

Or this Earth is done for."

"Basically, we went and stayed in Idris, and visited Alicante a couple times. We also saw the City of Bones." Andrea explained.

"I've never heard of those places." The head of the Athena cabin called.

"That's because Idris is a magical country, Alicante the capital, protected by the demon towers, so named because they ward off demons and everything else they don't want in their city. And the City of Bones is also magical, the home place of their Silent Brothers. It's other name is the Silent City." I explained.

"So this other world has a magical country? Like how our camps work for us?" The head of the Demeter cabin asked.

"Basically, except they've gotten a whole country because they're all over the world and are an entire race." Dustin said.

"So what are they, exactly?" Someone asked.

"They're half angel, half mortal warriors. They use runes to strengthen themselves, though most, except for a select few, would kill anyone else. They fight demons, who come to this world from their own hell dimensions. They're not the children of angels, but descendants. They call mortals mundanes, but they also have what is called the Downworld: Downworlders include warlocks, fae, vampires, and werewolves. None of which are inherently evil, though some are bad, but most follow the Accords as long as the Nephilim, or shadowhunters, do." I explained.

"That's... New." The head of the Hermes cabin said.

"What's this about a ceremony and about a brother?" Anita asked.

"As most of you probably know, I was adopted." Dustin said. "I grew up at Camp. But my twin brother, David Herondale, he's a shadowhunter. We've already determined that he got angel blood from our mother, while I got godly blood from Apollo. The Nephilim government, the Clave, made my mother give me up when it was apparent I didn't have angel blood. But they didn't know I had godly blood, they thought I was just somehow a mortal, even though shadowhunter blood is dominant and that shouldn't have been possible. The Silent Brothers knew that someone with godly blood shouldn't grow up in an angelic world."

"What about this ceremony?" Anita asked.

"It's nothing too important. I suppose it helps in getting them to ally with us, but we don't need to worry about it." Andrea said.

"And what was happening when the second prophecy was given?" Chiron asked, moving along the conversation.

"We were at one of the meetings, apparently you can start going at like sixteen." I started. "All of a sudden, a man appears on the stage. I didn't recognize him until he began talking to me."

"It was my cousin, well, Jay's cousin, Ben, who I've only met once before now, though I've seen pictures." I continued. "Basically, he tried to get me to join him, saying he'd bring my parents back. But they reminded me of something they'd said to warn me - someone would want me to join them, and I couldn't do that. So I told Ben I wouldn't. But he cut my hand open, and he took my blood."

"I backed away from him. My mom, even as a spirit, took one of my daggers and threw it at him. He dropped the blood, and whatever it was he was holding. Then Tartarus rose." I explained. Cue gasps from everyone around. "He spoke to us, told us he was going to regain his strength, then go straight to Olympus, where he would assume his true form and we wouldn't be able to stop him. He took Ben and he left."

"What happened after that?" Someone asked when I paused.

"My parents. Their spirits stopped... Spiriting. They became flesh and blood." I said. They stepped forward to where they would be noticed, and people stared at them. "I guess whatever was supposed to bring them back if he got what he wanted did its job."

"After that, I healed Whit's hand." Dustin continued. "And then Rachel came in and gave the next prophecy."

Andrea recited the prophecy this time.

"United front of angels and gods

Allies in a time of great need

Work to protect your homes

Warning of great danger you must heed

Descendants of the angels above

Leave the city where you roam

Fight alongside those of godly heritage

Help them to protect their home

Fight against the evil newly risen

Protect Mount Olympus at every cost

The final act made by a god unknown

Protect Mount Olympus or all is lost."

"Basically, we told them they need to send an army to help us protect our homes, so that they don't die, too, if Tartarus takes over. And apparently, some unknown god will make themselves known and will do something that will end the war, no matter which way it goes." Dustin explained.

"So we amass our army, and we protect Mount Olympus at all costs." Chiron said grimly. There was silence.

Then someone spoke. "What are those marks?" The head of the Athena cabin was pointing at the rune on my hand, and at the runes on my arm and above my heart.

* * *

 **So, small cliffhanger-esque ending for this chapter. But, not to worry, the next chapter will be up in three days after this.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	18. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am me,_ _Writing Desk's Raven_.

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl:**_

Then someone spoke. "What are those marks?" The head of the Athena cabin was pointing at the rune on my hand, and at the runes on my arm and above my heart.

* * *

"They're runes." I said simply.

"I thought you said they'd kill anyone else?" Someone asked.

"Except for a select few. And I'm not too sure, but I think the godly blood and the angel blood are similar enough that we could do it. But the Silent Brothers told me I'd be fine with these, though I don't think anyone not a shadowhunter should be able to get these ones. I think I could because of the prophecy." I explained.

"What do they do?" The Athena cabin counselor asked.

"They're from the ceremony." I said. I didn't say anything else, just put my leather jacket back on. I had taken it off and set it over the back of my chair earlier.

"I think it's pretty important for us to know, if it's from this ceremony and this ceremony was in the prophecy." Anita called.

"It's really not." Andrea said.

"This could be vital information!" Anita protested.

Dustin spoke this time. "It's really not too important. It doesn't make a difference whether any of you know about it or not, so just drop it."

"You could be putting us all in danger, keeping secrets about the prophecy!" Anita said.

Andrea was about to say something, but she stopped when I stood, slamming my chair back. Everyone looked at me. "You want to know what it was so bad?" I asked. "Fine. When they first found me, before the prophecy, they thought I was one of them, so they brought me to one of their places, in Brooklyn. I was later brought to the Silent City at the request of their government. The Silent Brothers covered for me, saying the worlds shouldn't know about each other yet. They told everyone I was the child of a half warlock shadowhunter, and a shadowhunter, some rare thing that's happened like once before, to explain my powers."

There was silence. I continued. "And you want to know what their government decided to do with me?" I asked. "They decided to marry me off to their strongest shadowhunter."

More silence, and I finished my angry rant. "They married me off to David Herondale, who, by the way, was also forced into it. They threatened to throw us in prison if we didn't go through with it. And the prophecy said I had to do it, so guess what? I've got a fucking husband, now!" I turned and stormed out of the room.

* * *

Andrea found me later, sitting up in a tree at the edge of the forest. She climbed up and sat beside me.

"Hey." Andrea said quietly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing just fine." I said, taking a deep breath. "It's all done and over with, and I should just forget about it."

"You have the right to be upset, Whit." Andrea told me.

"I'm not even upset. I'm just annoyed. Annoyed at the prophecies, at this evil guy that has risen, at Anita for pushing." I said.

"Life is very annoying at the moment, if I do say so myself." Andrea said.

"So, have things been figured out?" I asked.

"Well, the Clave still doesn't want to believe that the gods are real. Chiron is coming with us when we go to convince them." Andrea said.

"When are we going back?" I asked.

"Tonight, if possible. Chiron wants to bring a camper from every cabin, to show off all the different powers of each god, so that maybe we can have a better chance for them to believe us." Andrea answered.

"Cool. And am I going to transport us all?" I asked.

"No. Dustin called David, and he's going to sneak off and open us a portal." Andrea told me. Dustin had a spare phone he kept in his cabin for emergencies, and Dustin must've given him his number.

* * *

When we arrived, we weren't in the main room that everyone was gathered. We were off in a side hall. David was standing by the portal, holding a stele. He turned to his brother. "Is it true?" He asked.

"All of it." Dustin confirmed. "That's why the Silent Brothers said I had no angelic blood when we were born."

"Alright." I said, turning to everyone we had brought. A camper from every cabin. "I'll try and convince them without help, but, most likely, we'll need to display our powers. Until then, just keep quiet and follow me, because this Consul guy has some serious anger issues, it seems." David snorted at that.

There was chaos when we went in. Everyone was shouting one thing or another, and the Inquisitor was arguing with a Silent Brother, while the Consul tried a futile attempt to quiet everyone.

Everyone went silent when we came in, though, staring at us. Chiron wheeled his chair beside me as I led my group up to the stage and looked to the Consul. The Inquisitor stood by his side.

"We've come to prove to you that what we and the Silent Brothers have said is true." I announced, lifting my chin.

"And how might you do that?" The Inquisitor asked, crossing her arms.

"By showing you." I said. I stepped back into the group.

"I am Thalia Grace. I do not stay in Cabin One, as I am a Huntress of Artemis, but I am a daughter of Zeus." A girl said, stepping forward. We were lucky to have had the Hunters visiting. "I am also Lady Artemis' Lieutenant."

"And you expect us to believe that?" The Inquisitor asked.

"Yes." Thalia said simply. Then she did something to surprise every shadowhunter gathered. She used her powers to summon a ball of lightning to her hand. She tossed it from hand to hand, looking bored. Then she threw it up in the air, and it exploded into mini bolts that singed the stage where they hit.

"You could merely be a warlock." The Inquisitor accused.

"We don't have anyone from Cabin Two, as that's Hera, or Three, Poseidon only has one son, and he's going to school off in California, so we'll have to skip them for the moment." I announced, ignoring that comment.

A tall boy with wheat colored hair and grass green eyes stepped forward. "I'm Harrison Clay. I'm a son of Demeter, and the head counselor of Cabin Four." He held up his hands and closed his eyes.

The Consul looked about to make some sarcastic comment when the stage shook slightly. Flowering green vines began to climb up through the cracks. They wrapped together to form a short pillar, the flowers bursting with color and vibrancy.

Harrison stepped back as the next person stepped forward.

A tough looking girl dressed in camouflage patterned cargo pants and a tank top, along with a similarly patterned headband, stepped forward. Despite her outward appearance, I knew she was a big sweetheart if you could get close enough to her and earn her trust and loyalty. I was one of the lucky few who had managed to do so, though we weren't as close as I was with Dustin and Andrea.

"I'm Michelle Harris." She announced, drawing a large sword and running her fingers idly over the blade. "Daughter of Ares, head of Cabin Five. We don't really got much by way of powers, but find any of us in a battle or in the games and you'll be able to feel the bloodlust rolling off of us. And we're great with fighting, though that's more the intense training. Not all of us are as good as some, whether they have the training or the natural talent." Michelle nodded to me, and I nodded back. I was a better fighter than most of the cabin, but that was through sheer determination and training.

"Ash Collins, head of the Athena cabin, Cabin Six." A boy announced, stepping forward. "Now, none of us get any powers from Mom, just our intellect and brains. But we're great thinkers and problem solvers and whatnot."

"Four of you have claimed godly parents, but only two have shown us anything, and things that could be written off to being a warlock or one of the fair folk." The Consul stated, looking somewhere between untrusting and bored.

We all ignored his comment.

Dustin stepped forward. "You all know that I'm Dustin Herondale, and I was given up at birth because your government made my mom do it because the Silent Brothers said I had no angelic blood. And they were right. I don't. I've got the blood of Apollo, and I stay in Cabin Seven." He announced.

Dustin took a wine glass from a small bag he'd been holding, and set it on the stage in front of him. "You all saw me heal Whit's hand earlier, even if you refuse to believe it. But I can also do this." He stated. Then he put his hand to his mouth and let out a shrill whistle. The sound was high pitched so much so that the glass shattered. Then he shrugged his shoulders and spoke again. "I'm also an army doctor. I can both fight and use my medical knowledge to hurt my enemy in whatever way I need to, whether to kill, harm, or knock them out. I can kill a man while naming everything I've pierced, broken, or snapped."

The Consul looked enraged, the Inquisitor disbelieving. "The lovely Thalia Grace already demonstrated her powers as a daughter of Zeus, and explained her position among the Hunters, who reside in Cabin Eight when they visit camp." I continued.

"I'm Millicent Brown. I go by Mille." A girl said. "I, um, don't really have power powers, that I could, like, fight with, but I'm Camp's best blacksmith. I make a lot of our weapons and Shields and armor, along with my siblings. My specialty is swords. This is my weapon, and I made it when I first came to camp, when I was eight." She awkwardly held up a beautifully made celestial bronze sword.

"I'm Anita Lace. I'm a daughter of Aphrodite, and I am the counselor of Cabin Ten." Anita announced proudly. "While all of us can sense the little things, like who likes who, maybe even who loves who, we can also influence people to act on said little things, though most of us can't go so far as to charmspeak. I can."

"What is charmspeak?" The Inquisitor asked.

"I'm glad you asked." Anita said with a smile. She looked to the audience, and scanned the crowd, before her eyes landed on a boy in the front row. "You. Come up here." She laid the charmspeak on thick. The boy walked right up onto the stage, but his eyes beheld a somewhat terrified look, at the fact that he couldn't control his own movements.

"This proves nothing." The Consul stated.

"Spin in a circle." Anita commanded. The boy did. "Throw a dagger, and hit that spot." Anita pointed to a small spot on the wall, which would be hard to hit from here. She handed him a dagger. He took it and threw. The dagger hit exactly where she had told him to hit. He gaped at it, obviously not the best at throwing daggers.

"You can go sit back down, now." Anita told him, not bothering to charmspeak him. He did so, seemingly unable to get off the stage fast enough. Anita turned to the Consul and Inquisitor. "Does that prove enough? Or do I have to tell one of you two to do something?" She asked, crossing her arms.

A boy stepped past her, to keep her from doing something we'd all regret. "I'm Brandon Elton, son of Hermes, resident of Cabin Eleven." He introduced. He held up an object. "Is this your wallet?" The Consul gaped, shoving his hands in his pockets, before grabbing the wallet back. We'd passed by the Consul and Inquisitor when we went up on the stage, and he'd stolen it then.

"Cabin Fourteen, daughter of Iris." A girl announced. "Libby Stevens." She looked at the Consul, and his hair turned bright pink. The Inquisitor just stared at him, holding back a laugh, though not without a disbelieving look on her face.

"What?" The Consul demanded.

I pointed a hand to my hair. The Inquisitor handed him a compact mirror from her pocket, and he gaped. "Change it back!"

Libby shrugged. "You'll have to dye it. I'm not too good at changing things back. I've got to work on that." She had a grin on her face, totally belying the lie.

"Libby." I scolded. "We can't just leave people's hair bright pink." I held out a hand and the Consul's hair returned to normal.

"Hey, I'll tell you what to do, Missy." Libby admonished. "I'm your aunt, not the other way around." I laughed.

Andrea spoke. "I'm Andrea." She said. "I'm a daughter of Hypnos, resident of Cabin Fifteen."

She looked straight at the Inquisitor. "Sleep." She commanded. She could've done it without her voice, but she wanted everyone to know exactly what she was doing. The Inquisitor's eyes rolled in the back of her head, and she fell to the stage. After a moment, Andrea again spoke. "Wake."

The Inquisitor opened her eyes, and seemed very confused at being on the ground, but got up without a word and brushed herself off.

A boy spoke. "I'm Cabin Sixteen, Nemesis. Name's Chris. I could give you an answer, but you'd have to pay an equal price."

"An answer?" The Inquisitor asked.

"I can answer any question, but the more important it is, the heftier the price. Nemesis is all about being equal and having balance. Ever heard the saying 'an eye for an eye'?" He asked. He gestured to his eye patch. "Mom took my eye when I was little, to pay for the price of my power, when it started showing itself."

The Consul looked horrified at that, but the Inquisitor looked thoughtful. Chris turned to the audience. "Anyone need any answers?" He asked.

Cautiously, an older woman rose from her seat and made her way to the stage to stand in front of Chris.

"Bring your question to the front of your mind." Chris said. He studied her for a moment. "The price will be the three buttons you carry even now."

The woman stiffened, but reluctantly pulled three brass buttons from her pocket and handed them to Chris. He stuck them in a pouch on his belt, then took her hand. Moments later, she gasped, but a smile lit up her face and a few tears fell on her cheeks. She took Chris's hand and grasped it tightly. "Thank you." She said. "Thank you so much."

"I can only hope he finds his way home to you, and that you be reunited with your son." Chris told her. She squeezed his hand once more before returning to her seat to share the news with who I guessed was her family. They all began whispering excitedly.

"What just happened?" The Inquisitor asked.

"She wanted to know what had happened to her missing son, and in return for the answer, she had to give up the only piece of him she herself had. Her answer was a good one, though not all are." Chris explained.

" _Do you think they believe us yet, or no?_ " I asked the rest of the demigods with me.

" _They don't._ " Callie said, shaking her head. " _Do you see their faces?_ "

" _We'll keep going, then_." I said, rubbing my temples with one hand. I was getting a headache.

Callie stepped forward. "I'm Callie, a daughter of Nike, Cabin Seventeen. I haven't got any powers but one, though I do have a really competitive streak."

"She gets super scary at the games." Harrison called, causing Callie to give him a half hearted glare. Everyone but them knew that they liked each other. He held his hands up in surrender. "Just show them your wings."

Callie took a deep breath. Wings with soft golden feathers that looked and felt exactly like feathers appeared and unfurled from her back, leaving her with a small pair of wings that was only the size of her torso, not reaching out very far to either side. "They let me fly, but since they're smaller, they're harder targets." Callie said. To demonstrate, she lifted herself off the stage and then landed again.

"I'm a child of Hebe, Cabin Eighteen, and my name's Tanya." A girl said. "My power only affects myself, but I just got a haircut, so I'm not reversing my age. I can do up to three days at once."

"Cabin Nineteen, Tyche, my name's Daryl. I'm extremely good at cards, especially luck games, and most people can't win a bet against me, nor can they beat me in gambling." A boy announced.

"You also have a horseshoe on steroids for one of your weapons." Mille said. "One of the weirdest requests my siblings have gotten."

"Mom enchanted it." Daryl clarified for the weird looks he was being given by the shadowhunters.

"Anywho, I'm Sarah Lynn, and I'm from Cabin Twenty, a daughter of Hecate." A girl said. "I'm well versed in the art of manipulating the mist, the thing that keeps mortals from seeing our world. It does more than that if you use it right." Sarah waved a hand and a dracaena rushed into the room. Several shadowhunters jumped to their feet, drawing weapons. But when one sword hit the monster, it dissolved into green mist. Sarah just gave a tiny curtsy.

"Last but not least," I announced, stepping forward. "I'm Cabin Twenty One. I'm not even a demigod, but the only other Cabin Twenty One member lives in California."

"Who is the cabin dedicated to, then?" The Inquisitor asked.

* * *

 **And here we have had all of the group but Whit showcase their powers or what they've gotten from their parents. More to come next chapter!**

 **Don't you justs love failing your math midterm? I literally got a sixty four on it. Yet somehow I still made honors under honor roll status? I think they must have screwed that up somewhere, but whatever, I'm not complaining. (It mostly sucks that I failed tho because I understand the material, I just suck at important tests and remembering it when I actually need it.)**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	19. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman._ _I am me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 **Previously on** _ **More Than A Girl:**_

"Who is the cabin dedicated to, then?" The Inquisitor asked.

* * *

"Not a god or goddess. It's basically the Primordial cabin. Three campers have ever stayed there, including me. Nikita was a daughter of Aether, and my mom was a daughter of Physis. As such, I am a legacy of Physis, but then I'm also a legacy of Iris, as my dad was her son." I explained. Libby slung an arm over my shoulder and pinched my cheek. I laughed. "She's my aunt, but gods don't have DNA. We just go usually by the closest connections."

"And what can you, specifically, do?" The Inquisitor asked. I could tell that they both were starting to believe, but that neither of them wanted to.

"Alot of things." I said with a shrug. "I'm a powerful being." I held out a hand and a little ball of fire appeared. A ball of water appeared above it and splashed down, smothering it and putting it out. A gust of wind carried the water off of my hand, where it landed on the ground and shook with the rest of the room in the mini quake.

"You skipped some numbers." The Consul finally said after a long silence.

"Some cabins don't have any or many campers. And we sometimes leave camp, when we're old enough, though a lot now go to California for the safety we can find there." Brandon said with a shrug.

"Do you finally believe us?" I asked. "Because, if not, this has been a waste of our precious time, time when we could be gathering our people to try to build a large enough army without you, though all of us on our side know it's futile without your help, because the prophecy told us we need your help or we'll all die."

"You could all be warlocks, none of us have checked for marks..." The Inquisitor trailed off, obviously only half believing her own statement.

"I suppose this makes me a warlock, then?" Chiron asked, standing from his wheelchair. There were astonished gasps and stares as his horse half came into view.

"What- How-" The Consul gaped.

"I am the centaur Chiron, trainer of heroes. Surely you've heard of me from the Greek myths and stories?" Chiron asked. "I run camp and have been training demigods there for many, many years."

"I admit this is odd, but being half horse could be constituted as a warlock's mark, and the others haven't been checked." The Consul started. "This..."

A bright flash interrupted whatever the Consul was about to say. Standing onstage was Zeus.

Every demigod bowed in respect, even Thalia, who grumbled about doing it, something about her father being lazy and undeserving of her respect.

"This has gone on long enough." Zeus thundered. "You pitiful mortals refuse to believe in our existence, even when you have your own angels and many of you forget that to practice different religions."

"Not really the way you should talk to people we need help from, Dad-" Thalia started, but was cut off by a glare from Zeus. He cared for his daughter, yes, but he didn't particularly care for her comments at the moment.

"Just know, Nephilim, that the Greek myths are real, and that I, Zeus, ruler of the heavens, am real." Zeus declared, before a bright flash of light covered his leaving.

"Well, that settles that." I said cheerily, looking to the Consul and Inquisitor, who were both staring openmouthed at the spot Zeus had disappeared from. "We'll send someone to set up a correspondence."

I took all of us demigods and transported us back to Camp.

* * *

Chiron eventually managed to set something up with the Nephilim, and get them to send their army out to join us.

While that was being set up, we moved into the city. Thankfully, we had Morpheus on our side of the war, this time. He put the whole of Manhattan and the surrounding areas to sleep for us, and helped in moving everyone into safety.

We set up shop in the buildings around the Empire State Building, but made sure we held a large radius of ground. We knew there would be a battle, at least with monsters, and we needed to hold as much ground as we could.

The shadowhunter army was huge. They didn't send anyone younger than sixteen, at the very least, and it didn't seem there was anyone older than fifty five. They seemed quite miffed to be fighting alongside children and teens. I could tell they didn't even want their teens to fight, but the laws had changed awhile back, I was told, after a bunch of teens saved the world and more began fighting to have a voice.

Also joining the shadowhunters were any Downworlders who wished to help. Not many joined, not wanting to risk their lives, but some did, and they joined a group led by the vampire representative on the Clave's Downworld Council, some vampire named Lily.

The Roman army arrived after the shadowhunter one did. They filled our ranks greatly, and we were thankful for the help. It took them longer than it did the shadowhunters, who had to call people in from all over the world and then get here, because they didn't have the easy access of portals.

We also had more and more demigods join us each day. Adult demigods, I might add.

They were those who had heard about the upcoming battle and decided to return to aid their old home or old friends. We were extremely grateful to have all of the Seven join us, and many others.

* * *

I was currently at the base the Athena cabin had set up to talk strategy with the shadowhunters and set up how we would spread ourselves. I was discussing the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel with an Athena camper and Harrison, the head of the Demeter cabin, who we were thinking of having cover that, when Dustin came crashing over.

"Dustin?" I asked, straightening up from my position bent over the map.

He caught his breath before speaking. "You're needed, Whit." He coughed out.

"For what?" I asked.

"They want to see you." Dustin said. I had no idea who 'they' was, but I turned once more to the campers I'd been speaking to.

"You guys finish that up. I'll try to be back to help more later." I said. Then I followed Dustin away from the base.

* * *

We went to a hotel, the one we were both temporarily staying in, among some shadowhunters and all of my friends and demigod cousins. Dustin left when we reached the front doors, off to go do something else.

The sight that met me in the lobby surprised me.

It was all of my demigod family members. Jay, Chelsey, Nikita, Cypress. Brady, Bailey, and Hayden also seemed to be surprised at seeing them. And, waiting by the elevator, seemingly unnoticed as of yet, my parents.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"We had to hear from a friend in New Rome that there was a war happening, and that two prophecies had been given. Whit, why didn't you tell anyone?" Nikita asked.

"Um, I didn't want anyone to worry?" I asked weakly.

"You told Maddie it wasn't dangerous, what was happening, so she didn't think to say anything to us." Chelsey said exasperatedly.

"Well, it was. I literally just had to sit around and then do an entirely non dangerous thing. It only got dangerous when it later suddenly escalated - Tartarus rose, mom and dad came back from the dead, we got another prophecy, and a war started."

"They what?" Jay asked, jaw dropped. "My sister and her boyfriend what?"

"We came back to life, Jay." My mom said, stepping away from the elevator and towards us. Kiernan followed. Jay, Chelsey, Cypress, and Nikita all turned to face them.

"Lyric?" Jay whispered. She nodded. He rushed forward and hugged her tightly. "How?" He looked between the both of my parents.

"We don't know. He promised he'd bring us back if Whit joined him, which she didn't, but he still got her blood. Whatever it was that triggered Tartarus' rise brought us back." My dad explained.

Chelsey hugged both of them, as did Cypress and Nikita.

"Is everyone else safe at the farm?" Brady asked.

"Yeah." Cypress informed us. "They're all there, safe and away from New York. We wouldn't dream of bringing anyone more than needed near the war."

"That's actually why we came here." Nikita started lightly, then hesitated. "We want you four safe. We don't want to have to worry about one of you being killed in battle. We wanted to ask you to come home to the farm and wait this war out."

"No." I said simply. "I'm not waiting this out. I was literally a part of the first prophecy, and the second was given to me and Dustin and Andrea. I'm not leaving."

"Whit-" Jay started.

"I'm sorry, but I can't." I said. "You guys all fought in a war, or two, at my age or not long after. And I'm not leaving this to everyone else. I am going to defend my friends and my family with everything I am."

"And we respect that." Chelsey said. "That's why we only came to ask. Honestly, we expected that sort of answer."

"What about you, boys?" Cypress asked, turning to my cousins. They had similar answers to mine.

"Then it's settled, you can stay. The only catch is, we're fighting with you. We won't let you stay and fight and not help, ourselves." Jay said.

"Don't let yourselves get killed." I said solemnly. Then I cracked a smile. "Or I'll have to go to the Underworld and kill you again. You know I'll do it, too."

That got laughs from a couple of them.

Before anymore conversation could happen, the elevator doors opened. The person who stepped out was David. His eyes drifted across the new demigods in the room, before landing on me.

"Do you know them?" He asked curiously.

"This is my wonderful family. They're here to fight with us. The mortals of the family are up at the farm, safe and sound." I explained.

"With wards and spells and charms and magical barriers." Chelsey added. "After Camp's barrier breaks, and your cabin puts it back up, you get to learn how to do that sort of thing, though not as strong as when an entire cabin does it with the help of a goddess." A smile tugged at my lips.

"And they've got a full grown hellhound guarding them." Nikita commented. "Seriously, sixteen years and those things get huge."

"How is Zillah?" I asked. "I haven't seen her in awhile."

"She's good. She's been having fun home in New Rome. She's best friends with Hannibal the Second, the war elephant." Cypress answered.

"Hey, Whit, can I talk to you?" David asked.

I cursed under my breath, but spoke when I got expectant looks from my family. "Yeah, sure." I followed him into the elevator and he pressed a button.

* * *

"I wanted to talk about that night, two and a half months ago." David said carefully.

I'd been avoiding him ever since that night at the club, only ever being near him in large groups of people. I could tell he was confused why, but I had only told Andrea anything. I would've told Dustin, but I couldn't exactly go up and say 'We both have mutual feelings for each other, but I slept with your brother, who, friendly reminder, I'm married to, and also might have feelings for.'

"What about that night?" I asked, false confusion in my voice.

"You know what I'm talking about, Whit." David said. The elevator doors opened and we exited. I followed him down the hall.

"I don't know what there is to talk about." I said.

"Whit." David said. "A lot happened that night. But let's start with those demons. They weren't demons, were they?"

"Well, now everyone knows about the Greek and Roman worlds. No, they were monsters. Kelli, she's an empousa, and I've fought her a couple times before. She's got a crazy vendetta. And her friends, one of them was the Minotaur. That was the first I'd fought him. Then the eidolon, nasty things, they possess people. I wouldn't have been able to get rid of him without killing the mortal if he hadn't left, which I'm extremely glad he did." I explained.

"Where did you take us after you took the dagger out?" David asked. I winced slightly at the memory of him bleeding out beneath me.

"My cabin at camp. I was trying to think of where I could get some ambrosia or nectar, seeing as I don't really know any runes, especially not an iratze." I explained. "And I couldn't bring you to the infirmary, because that was too many questions asked."

"Nectar and ambrosia?" David asked, unlocking a door he'd stopped in front of. I followed him into his temporary room and took a seat on the edge of the bed. He stood in front of me, leaning on the wall.

"The food of the gods." I said. "It heals us demigods. Too much, though, and you'll burn up. And mortals can't have it. It'd kill them."

"Was there a chance it could have killed me?" David asked, raising an eyebrow.

"About as much as it was that your runes kill me." I said with a shrug. "I don't know if the godly and angelic blood can substitute each other for runes and nectar and ambrosia, but in these cases, they worked. It may just have been the specific runes I got, and may just have been that you've got a god for a father, even if you didn't get his blood." I shrugged again.

"Okay." David said, pondering for a moment. "What about after that?"

"What about it?" I asked.

"What happened?" David inquired.

"Well, we talked. Then you kissed me. And then I kissed you back. And then we slept together." I said slowly. I thought for a moment before muttering. "That's literally how it happened with my parents."

"I know what happened, Whit, I was there." David said exasperatedly. "What I meant was..." He trailed off.

"What you meant was why." I finished.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Well, I guess I don't know your reasons. But, for me, I think... I think I'm falling for you." I said quietly.

"You are?" He asked, clearly surprised.

"What?" I asked. "You think I just go around and sleep with guys after they almost bleed out beneath me?"

"No." He said quickly, shaking his head. "No, I just... Didn't expect that answer."

"What answer were you expecting?" I asked.

"I don't know. Just not that." He said, looking at the ground.

We were both silent for a few moments. Then I spoke. "David, look at me." He looked up and his eyes locked onto my gaze. "Do you like me, too?"

"Um... Maybe?" He asked, clearly caught off guard. He took a shaky step so that he stood directly in front of me. He cleared his throat. "Um, yeah. I think I like you, too."

Then he leaned down and kissed me. I wasn't complaining. I kissed him back, and was soon laying back, him leaning over me. We moved to a more comfortable position, in which I was fully on the bed, my head on the pillows, David atop me. Then he began kissing me again.

* * *

I woke to the sound of something heavy dropping. I didn't actually move or open my eyes, though, just curled closer to the pillow, wanting to go back to sleep.

I felt the bed shift, and then the weight beside me was gone. I heard light footsteps cross the room, before there was talking in low tones.

One voice was David. The other, it sounded like Aeric. Of course. They were parabatai, they were rooming together.

I concentrated to try and hear what they were saying.

"...slept with her again?" Aeric asked.

"Um, yeah?" David answered.

"You really like her, don't you?" Aeric asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do." He said slowly. "Just don't say anything to anyone, okay? I don't think she wants anyone to know yet, either."

"I really don't, I'd never hear the end of it and my family is here." I said, sitting up and stretching. I as glad I'd thrown on David's shirt earlier.

Both of them looked at me surprisedly. "Oh, yeah, I woke up when you dropped whatever it was." I told them. "And, yeah, I've only told Rea. I think that if we were shadowhunters, it'd either be her or Brady that would be my parabatai." I said the last part in a quiet, musing tone.

"What time is it?" David asked, turning to Aeric. I got up from the bed and slipped my charm bracelet and my necklace back on.

"It's five something. Dinner's at six thirty." Aeric said.

"I think I'm going to go take a shower, then." I said. I disappeared back to my own room that I was sharing with Andrea.

* * *

By the time I was out of the shower and dressed and ready, dinner was about to start. I made my way into the hallway and began walking toward the elevator. I was soon joined by David and Aeric, who had come out of their room.

I didn't notice David was staring at me until Aeric nudged him. "What?" I asked.

"You look beautiful." He said.

"I just took shower and threw on some clothes?" I questioned.

"Beautiful." David said.

I blushed.

* * *

When we got down to dinner, I sat with my family and Andrea. Dustin joined his family members and our friends from the Institute.

* * *

 **Oh, we've got relationship development.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	20. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am m_ _e, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

The next three and a half months passed by in a blur, though not without those scattered nights that I definitely would not forget, whether they were spent with David or just trying to have some fun in these not-so-fun times with my family or friends.

After two weeks, we had all of our plans for covering Manhattan done and had moved people around to where they'd be most helpful.

After three weeks, the attacks started.

They started out just as groups of monsters here and there, attacking and testing our defenses. We fought them off. But when they began coming in in more force, we had to begin retreating.

After seven weeks, we controlled only a small area around the Empire State Building.

Eight weeks, we gained some ground back. All because the gods joined us in fighting. Major or minor, it didn't matter, if they had any experience in helping an army, they were there. The shadowhunters were in awe, but we were in even more awe than them, seeing as there was the whole 'the gods can't be part of their children's lives all that much'.

Nine weeks, the gods stuck to the areas that needed it most, while more and more monsters attacked.

Twelve weeks, we had monsters slipping through our ranks and making for the Empire State Building. None of them made it, but a few were close. We set a guard to specifically watch the building itself.

That guard consisted of myself, Dustin, Andrea, David, Lizzy, Aeric, Flint, Hayden, Bailey, Brady, and other shadowhunters and demigods, on a rotation every other day to fight.

Thirteen weeks, the adult members of my family went home to the farm. Chelsey had been injured, stabbed in the stomach, and Cypress had had his leg broken. My dad had been struck in the side, which would've been fine to heal with nectar and ambrosia, but the weapon had been poisoned. My mom muttered something about him and not treating his poisoned wounds when she told me that they were all going back to the farm. I'd just hugged them all and told them to be safe.

* * *

Fourteen weeks, I gathered my cousins with me in the lobby of the Empire State Building. We were about to go out and fight, but we'd just been resting. Even in war, you need to rest.

I lifted my hand and a fine mist appeared. I tossed a drachma in. "O, Iris, show us Sage Tucker, at Blackmeadow Range." I said.

The IM shimmered into existence. Sage was sitting in the living room, playing cards with Orianne and Mason. None of them seemed very into it, though.

"Hey, boy, turn around!" I called.

Sage turned to see the IM, and Orianne and Mason looked up. I noticed Quinn sitting in the chair, playing with a little toy car.

"You guys are all safe, right?" Sage asked. "No one's dead or hurt?"

"We four are not dead." I confirmed. "I can't say that for some, but..." I winced. I didn't know everyone who had died, but I knew some people.

"Hey, Sage, do you know what today is?" Bailey asked.

"No?" Sage asked, a look of confusion on his face.

"You're an idiot." Hayden told him.

"It's your birthday, Sage." Brady informed him.

"Happy sixteenth, Sage. We're sorry we can't be there, today, to actually see you." I said.

"You guys are fighting in a freaking war." Sage said. "It's fine that you can't be here at the farm."

"Yeah, well, don't think you won't have any sort of celebration when this is all said and done." Hayden said.

"We'll all be there and we'll all celebrate and we'll all have fun." Bailey promised.

"I miss you guys." Sage said quietly. "Please don't get hurt."

"Don't worry so much about us, cousin." Brady said. "We'll be fine. Besides, we're on rotation for building guard, so we're not in the thick of the fighting half the time. We fight off any monsters who get through the thick."

"Just be safe." Sage said. I nodded.

I looked to my cousins. We all nodded to each other, and then we began singing Happy birthday. Sage laughed. Orianne and Mason joined in, and Quinn even joined in, too.

When the song was over, I spoke once more. "We love you, Sage." Then I waved a hand through the IM and it dissipated.

"You guys ready to kick some ass?" Brady asked. I laughed, and we all went outside to join the rest of the group, them having already gone outside while we hung back for a couple minutes to talk to our cousin.

* * *

I was fighting beside Andrea when it happened.

A ripple spread throughout both armies. Some of our own dropped to the ground, screaming, though there weren't many that did, thankfully.

But a dark presence shot straight through our army, and into the Empire State Building. No one had to say anything for us to realize Tartarus had shot right through us and the gods.

Before anyone could do anything, a black wall flared up around the Empire State Building, leaving very few people able to get in.

Those of us inside finished off the monsters inside the shield, and I took a quick count to see who we had. I was there, as well as Andrea, and we also had Dustin, David, Brady, Hayden, Bailey, Lizzy, Aeric, and Flint. I thanked the fates that the people I cared about the most were safe, whether here with me or far from the battle. Though, safe was not the right term in war.

There was no need of talking or planning, we all went into the building and boarded the elevator as quickly as possible. I was extremely impatient, waiting for the elevator to get to the six hundredth floor.

* * *

I was the first off the elevator. Looking around, all I could think was carnage. Carnage and destruction. Then something caught my eye.

"No." I whispered, shaking my head, tears blurring my vision. "No!"

I took off running faster than I ever have before. When I reached the child, I searched frantically for a pulse, shaking the body. But there was no denying it: Dakota was dead.

Brady was the first to reach me. He sank to the ground and cradled Dakota's head in his lap, staring down at his broken body. "Baby brother, baby brother. Wake up. Please, baby brother, you need to wake up!" He repeated it to himself like a mantra, holding Dakota gently.

Then Hayden and Bailey reached us. When they saw, Hayden threw up, and Bailey screamed. Then they were on the ground beside us, crying as hard as we were.

When the group reached us, only Dustin and Andrea understood who this was, having seen pictures. I stood, found a clear enough spot in the garden we were in, and commanded the earth to move for me.

With a shallow grave dug, we set Dakota gently inside. Before we covered him, I whispered to him even though he couldn't hear. "We'll come back for you, baby cousin. I promise. You'll get to stay at the farm forever."

I stood back up, wiping the tears away and looking at everyone, my anger rising over a hundred fold. "Let's go destroy the motherfucker that took Dakota from us."

* * *

We got to the throne room without finding a single other soul. Not even a minor god. They'd all gone down to help in the fight, knowing that it was important we didn't lose this.

When we entered, it took me a moment to process everything that was happening.

Ben was by Hestia's hearth, except his eyes were pitch black. I had no doubt Tartarus was using him before he could assume his true form. Sage was standing near us, looking absolutely terrified and cradling a hurt hand.

Also in the room were people tied to chairs and gagged. People who were supposed to be in the fight outside, or supposed to be far away from the fight.

Clary. Jace. A woman who looked like Flint. A man who looked just like him, too. Laila. My parents. Jay. Maddie. Chelsey. Aaron. My grandmother, Whitney. Samuel. Laura. Lydia. Cole. Nikita. Cypress. Quinn. Orianne. Mika. Liam. Mason.

I was surprised at the last person, though. Anita.

Wordlessly, Andrea went over to start cutting people free, starting with Anita, who was closest, while the rest of us turned to Tartarus.

"Ah, you're finally all here!" Ben called.

Before anyone could do anything, Brady was screaming at him. "Why the fuck did you kill him?! You killed my baby brother!"

When she heard that, Lydia let out a wailing sob. Cole was equally as distraught. The rest of the family was upset, too, but a parent's grief has no rival.

Ben just laughed. "Oh, that was just an incentive to get you in here." He informed us. "Now, if we could get on with things." He waved a hand, and almost everyone else was thrown back and then held away by an invisible force, unable to get close again. The only two still standing were Sage and I.

"Why did you bring them here?" I asked, voice a growl.

"Because, it is your family that banished me back, both times. And I had to bring in someone to stop the rest of your friends from trying anything, didn't I?" He asked.

"Release them." I snarled.

"No." He snapped. "They will be here when I assume my true form. The time draws closer. When you all disintegrate, no one will be able to stop me. I will reign eternal."

"I'll fucking kill you, that's what'll happen." I growled.

"The more you argue me on this, the more of them die before they have to." He stated. A dagger was flung, and I let out a loud whimper when it sunk, hilt deep, into David's heart.

While everyone else just stared in shock, Dustin started laughing. My gaze snapped to him. Ben seemed confused, as well.

When he stopped laughing, he spoke, tone very amused. "You really think you can kill a Herondale twin that easy?" Dustin asked. "You're more stupid than expected. Especially for an ancient evil."

Tartarus was too confused to threaten Dustin for calling him stupid. Dustin continued. "David and I? We're two halves of the same whole. We were never our own people. He got half the blood, I got half the blood, we each got half the soul." He laughed again. "You just helped us. We're one and the same, now. I am one and the same, now. I am whole, now."

He turned to face me. "And don't worry, Whit. I've got all the memories of both. We both always loved you." He said with a wink. I was too stunned to respond.

"Sage." I whirled around to face Tartarus. Except it wasn't Tartarus, Ben's eyes were their original color. Sage had the tip of my imperial gold dagger resting against Ben's throat. I hadn't even realized he'd taken my dagger from my side.

"Sage, I can stop this. Just release me." Ben pleaded. Sage didn't move an inch.

"You killed Dakota." His voice was quiet, emotionless, but I could see the anger in his eyes.

"That wasn't me. That was Tartarus." Ben said. His voice was pleading.

"You weren't there for a single moment of my life." Sage said. "I turned sixteen today, May 14th, did you know that? No. No, you didn't, because you left and never looked back at the family that missed you, at the family that you never even met half of."

"Sage, please. I need to stop him before he takes control again. I'll even tell you the Achilles spot. I trust you to make the right decision." Ben took a deep breath and whispered something to his brother.

Sage didn't hesitate in driving the dagger into Ben's shoulder. Ben's jaw dropped open. "Do you know what it's like to grow up, knowing that your older brother left the family and never looked back, all because he hates the fact that you existed? Do you know what it's like to have an older brother who left, only to come back evil and try to destroy the family, then ask for forgiveness? No?" Sage asked. "Well now you know what it's like to die by your younger brother's hand."

He let go of the knife and Ben crumpled to the ground. The force holding everyone else back dissolved, but before anyone could move, there was a flash of light.

When the light had faded, there were three figures standing in front of Sage. The Fates.

"You have destroyed Tartarus, for once and for all." Clotho said.

"It has been destined that you would be the one to do this for many, many centuries." Lachesis spoke.

"You are now solely responsible for taking over the domain of the one you have defeated." Atropos declared.

Sage looked at them with wide eyes. He stumbled back a step, and I caught him and balanced him. "It's okay, Sage." I said quietly. A smile tugged at my lips. "Hey, now you're allowed to get weapons." I teased, thinking back to when I was given a dagger on my sixteenth birthday.

That teasing seemed to calm him down. He visibly relaxed, and looked back to the Fates, then just nodded. They disappeared.

"Hold up a minute!" Orianne called. She came rushing over to her brother and I. "You mean to tell me my brother is a god now?"

"You're not upset about him?" Sage sounded genuinely surprised when he glanced back down to Ben. "You knew him for seven years."

"Are you kidding me? No. He always hated me." Orianne said, waving a hand. "Besides, to be completely honest, I'm pretty sure he was born without a soul."

The rest of the family came over, while everyone else went to their family members. Andrea only hung back, speaking quietly to Anita. Anita had a surprised look on her face. I watched as expression changed from surprised to shocked to upset to angry and then to sympathy, then she was crying. Then she hugged Andrea, who just hugged her back.

I was pulled away from my family by a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Dustin. I threw myself into his arms, hugging him. "So, what do we call you now, Mr. Herondale?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Call me Dustin, call me David, call me Herondale." He said. He looked down at my arm and traced a finger over the pale white scars of the faded rune. "It's gone, even though I didn't die. I guess because the body that held the runes died."

He thought for a moment. "That means it'll have faded to gray for Aeric. Oh Raziel, the pain of losing a parabatai is horrible. I really hope he didn't have to feel it." He said. "I wonder if it would be possible to get the rune again? He's still my parabatai."

"Go talk to him." I encouraged. He turned and went to find Aeric.

* * *

Probably half an hour later, the gods entered their throne room.

They took their seats, and asked for an explanation of what and happened. I explained as quickly as I could, starting when the ripple went through the armies. Apollo stared at Herondale the entire time. He looked like he really wanted to say something, but he held his tongue.

"So this boy is the new embodiment of the pit?" Zeus asked, looking to Sage. Sage trembled slightly beside me. I set a hand on his arm, and he relaxed a little.

"Yeah." Sage said. His voice squeaked slightly.

Zeus thought for a moment. Athena went over and whispered something to him. Zeus nodded, and she returned to her seat. Then, Zeus spoke. "And would you be willing to work with us, the gods, in keeping monsters down where they're meant to be, in Tartarus?"

"Y-yeah." Sage said. "Of course."

"We'll talk more later, then, boy." Zeus said.

There was a silence. The. Hades spoke. "Lyric, Kiernan. While you may wish to stay, I really must bring you back." I wasn't surprised. I expected it'd come to that. "You'll of course have time to say your goodbyes. But when you find yourselves back home in Elysium, you'll find yourselves a new resident to live with. He fought back bravely, and died a hero's death, the only one standing between Tartarus and this throne room."

I let out a sob and my fell to my knees. My entire family had similar reactions, including Laura, who would always be part of the family even if she were no longer married to Lydia. Hades was talking about Dakota.

"As for those of you who fought in this war, the gods thank you greatly. Especially you two, the children of the prophecy." Hera said. "Olympus would have fallen without you." I did not expect a thanks from her, of all gods, but it was more believable than Zeus being the one to thank us. He had issues with that sort of thing.

Then we were dismissed, to go tend to the wounded and help with the aftermath of the battle.

* * *

 **AHHH! OH MY GOD, THIS STORY IS ALMOST OVER. AND THAT TWIST!**

 **Don't mind my hideous screaming, just freaking out over how far this story has come, and over how far this series as a whole has come.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	21. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I_ am me, _Writing Desk's Raven_ _._

* * *

After everything had been settled, the wounded had been taken care of, the dead burned or buried, and everyone returned to their homes, I finally had a chance to just stop and not do anything, not worry about anything. It was a hard few weeks, cleaning up the aftermath of the battle. There was still a ton of damage, but it was the kind that would need longer term repairs. Buildings and such on Olympus, mostly.

I was lying on a couch in my cabin, and my friends were all with me. That being Herondale, Andrea, Lizzy, Aeric, Flint, and, surprisingly, Anita. Andrea had made up with her after everything happened, and had told her the real story. Anita felt horrible after learning the truth, and she kept trying to get Andrea's forgiveness, even though Andrea kept telling her she'd already gotten it. I hadn't wanted to forgive her, too, but I did because Andrea had wanted me to, and because she really hadn't ever done anything much to me, not as bad as she was to Andrea. She hadn't even outed me to camp, which I was grateful for. And we weren't exactly friends with her, but peace had been made.

"So, plans for the day?" Andrea asked. She was perched on the arm of the couch by my feet, and Herondale was on the arm by my head. Flint was on the chair closest to Andrea, and Lizzy and Aeric sat on the other couch. Anita was in a second chair.

"Lay around all day because I finally get the chance." I said. That got a couple laughs. "I've had so much to do. After all the wounded and the funerals, my family had to bury Dakota, up at the farm, and then my parents went back to the Underworld, and then we had to worry about Sage because he keeps freaking out about everything and dissolving things into puddles of darkness."

"Is there anyone who can help him learn about his new powers?" Anita asked.

"Hades can help a tiny bit, he's got a couple powers in common, as well as the normal higher being powers, but then he's got all these other powers no one can help him with because he's so damn powerful." I stated. "At least he's doing pretty good with learning to fight, something he's always wanted us to teach him to do, after we always got a weapon or something like that for gifts and he was always jealous. He does well with the dagger, and I gave him the imperial gold one I got for my birthday. I told him it was his sixteenth birthday gift."

"At least there's not a war going on anymore." Lizzy offered.

"Yeah, that's good. I wonder what we'll be calling this. We've got the Titan War and the Giant War that happened in the older times, and then the Second Titan War and the Second Giant War that happened like the generation above us, but I don't know if anything like this has ever happened." I said.

"I've heard people calling it Hell's War." Andrea replied. "I think it's catching on."

"Yeah, well, let's just hope there never has to be a Second Hell's War." Herondale said.

"Sage wouldn't let that happen. He's too kind-hearted. And if he did, I'd kick his ass into next year, him being immortal or not, me being dead by that point or not." I said. "Besides, he's totally crushing on this one minor goddess, she's pretty young for a goddess, but I forget her name, she was a demigod gifted with immortality for doing one task or another for her godly parent. Either way, she'd never reciprocate his feelings if he started another war."

* * *

Anita had to leave soon, having promised to spend some time with a couple of her siblings, and Lizzy, Aeric, and Flint eventually went, too, to get back to the Institute. Flint was actually moving there, and I teased Andrea about it being to be closer to her, but she told me it was probably because he wanted to be closer to his cousin and to all of his friends up here.

Eventually, Andrea left, too, to make it back to her cabin before lights out.

"Aren't you going to go so you can make it back for lights out?" I asked Herondale.

"I'll be fine. I can just use a silence rune and a stealth rune to get back unnoticed." He said, waving a hand. I moved over on the couch and he moved from his seat on the arm of the couch to sit next to me. "How are you holding up?"

"Pretty good, actually. I expected things to be harder than this. They're still hard, but it's not as bad as I thought it'd be." I said. "I mean, I miss Dakota a whole hell of a lot. I miss my parents, and I barely got to meet them. I didn't really know many others that died, but we did lose alot of people. On both sides, the gods and the angels."

"I'm just glad that I didn't lose any of you guys." He said. "Especially you."

"Especially me?" I asked, turning to look at him. "Why especially me?"

"Because I love you, Whit." He said. My breath caught. "Both of me did, and I do, now."

"I guess it's a good thing I love you, too, Herondale." I told him. He smiled mischievously.

"Using last names, now, are we, Ashton?" He asked, leaning forward. I could feel his breath on my face, and it sent nervous butterflies tumbling around in my stomach.

"I don't know what to call you. I feel odd calling you one name or the other, so I've resolved to calling you Herondale." I said quietly, staring into his eyes.

"You could call me yours. And one day, maybe I'll be able to call you Herondale instead of Ashton." He suggested. I felt my cheeks heat and my heart skip a beat.

"I could live with that." I murmured, glancing down at his lips and then back to his eyes. He seemed to share my sentiments, because he finally closed the distance between us and pressed his lips to mine.

* * *

 **That's it. That's the end. Yay for happy-ish endings, right? Even if some people do die, endings can still be happy-ish, right?**

 **Epilogue next.**

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


	22. Epilogue

_Disclaimer: I do not own any works credited to the names Rick Riordan, Uncle Rick, Cassandra Clare, or Cassie Clare. I am not that man, and I am not that woman. I am_ _me, Writing Desk's Raven._

* * *

 _You are cordially invited to the wedding of_

 **Whitney Warren Ashton**

 _and_

 **Dustin David Herondale**

Accords Hall, Alicante, Idris

July 24th, 3:00 P.M.

Reception Will Be Held At Blackmeadow Range, Transportation Via Portal Will Be Provided

 _To RSVP, Iris Message Wedding Coordinator Lizzy Lewis-Lovelace at the New York Institute_

* * *

 **There's the epilogue.**

 **What did everyone think of this story? Of the previous two stories? Of this series as a whole?**

 **I'll be writing a Part IV. Here's the summary:**

Mikayla is, or was, a demigod. Now she's immortal, tasked with serving her mother, Athena, for the rest of eternity. And she's okay with that. Or, she was okay with that. But now that there's a new kid on the block, so to speak, she doesn't want to spend every moment of her time working for her mother, using her very rare off days only to visit her family. She wants to make friends. She wants to have fun, enjoy the teenage years she never did really get, even though she'll be in them for eternity. What's a girl to do?

 **Thank you to anyone who has reviewed, followed, or favorited! You are not inclined to do any of those things if you do not wish, but it would be much appreciated! I send my love to all of you!**


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